Community News

Jacksonville

The Festival of Lights Diwali Dhamaka

When: 2022-11-13 Where: The Bolles School 585-802-2148 missindiafl@gmail.com Host: Bollywood Dance Mania & IFC

Orlando

CORD Family Fun Night

When: 2022-11-12 Where: Chinmaya Mission Orlando 407-376-9564 Host: Chinmaya Mission Orlando

Pramukh Swami Maharaj Centennial Celebration

When: 2022-11-12 Where: Windermere High School 954-410-0180 dhaval.bhagat@gmail.com Host: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

Multi Faith Workshop Promoting Global Peace

When: 2022-11-13 Where: Community Hall Of HSCF 407-862-9920 hscfnewagegroup@gmail.com Host: Hindu Society New Age Group

Abby V Live Concert - Orlando

When: 2022-11-13 Where: Olympia High School 248-979-8900 sriniv@aimforseva.org Host: AIM For Seva

Goverdhan Puja & Annakut Mahotsav

When: 2022-11-20 Where: Pushtidham 352-307-0065 pushtidhamocala@gmail.com Host: Pushti Margiya Vaishnav Samaj Inc.

Tampa

Hindu Matrimonial USA

When: 2022-11-11 Where: India Cultural Center FloridaHinduMatrimonial@gmail.com 769-241-0675

Abby V Live Concert - Fort Myers

When: 2022-11-11 Where: Moe Auditorium & Film Center 248-979-8900 sriniv@aimforseva.org Host: AIM For Seva

Abby V Live Concert - Tampa

When: 2022-11-12 Where: Hindu Temple of Florida Auditorium 248-979-8900 sriniv@aimforseva.org Host: AIM For Seva

Namaste A Grand Indian Art and Food Festival

Akshaya Patra Foundation and Florida Fine Arts present an exciting two-day Indian Art festival on December 3 - 4, 2022, at Pompano Beach.

Contact : Raj Rajgopal: 781-438-3090 Email: raj.namaste2022@gmail.com All net proceeds to benefit Akshaya Patra Foundation.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj Centennial Celebration

When: 2022-11-19 Where: Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir 954-410-0180 | dhaval.bhagat@gmail.com Host: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

20 Years of Shreya Ghoshal in Orlando - Florida

When: 2022-11-18 Where: Addition Arena (CFE) 407-454-3334 krishpatel369@hotmail.com Host: Krish Patel

The Price of Garba - Parth Oza brings first time ever traditional Raas- Garba in South Florida By Shuchita Rao

Nova Southeastern University’s spacious indoor stadium in Davie, Florida, came alive with more than 1,200 RaasGarba lovers on Saturday evening, October 22, 2022, with globally recognized playback singer Parth Oza’s dynamic live-music accompaniment to community celebrations of the Diwali festival. The grand event was organized by Desh-Videsh Media Group and Ace DJ.

Garba, the traditional folk dance from Gujarat, honors the feminine form of divinity and celebrates the fact that all humans have divine energy within them. The six-hour cultural event started with the traditional lamp lighting and prayer ritual by the graceful hostess Aruna Shah, publisher of Desh-Videsh. Women dressed in colorful attire such as mirror-work chaniya cholis and fancy saris, men in kurta pajamas and ang-rakkha dhoti costumes, and little children in bright, ethnic clothes danced in concentric circles with great joy, clapping their hands in synchrony around the altar of Mother Goddess Durga.

Starting at a slow tempo around 6:00 pm, the music rendered beautifully by Parth Oza and his team picked up pace as did the non-stop dancing by nearly 1,200 guests for the next six hours. Traditional Gujarati songs “Kumkum Kera Pagle Maadi Garbe Rumva Aav” and “Fagan Foramto Aayo’’ were fused seamlessly with popular Bollywood Hindi numbers. A highlight was “Bhumbro Bhumbro Shyam Rang Bhumbro” in a high-energy live music performance by the versatile actor-singer-doctor Parth Oza and his team, consisting of two soprano female vocalists, two high-stamina dhol drummers, and a talented musician on the synthesizer that played a variety of instruments such as the piano, festive shehnai, and flute.

Dandiya Raas began approximately three hours after Garba, and people danced with joy holding bejeweled sticks in their hands in a longtime ritual that honored Goddess Durga’s victory over the vicious demon Mahishasura. Bhangra dance and popular Bollywood music numbers regaled the audience members in the latter part of the night creating a grand festive ambience. Delicious food such as spicy paav-bhaaji, fluffy dahi vadas with tamarind chutney, and desserts were made available by Tandoor Grill. Several vendors also sold ethnic costumes, jewelry, and home decor items at the venue.

The Navratri and Diwali festival celebrations that put a spotlight on India’s rich culture attracted a diverse, international crowd, proving that India’s age-old music and dance traditions carry the supreme power to bring happiness to one and all, rising above cast, creed, religion and geographical boundaries.

On July 31st, 2022, Nitya Kunta performed her Bharatanatyam Rangapravesam at Windermere, Florida, under her watchful Acharya, Dr. Smt. Subashree Narayanan, from Jacksonville, Florida, disciple of Padma Bhushan Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan, Shantala Awardee and Karnataka Kalashree Guru B. Bhanumati, and Nritya Nipune Guru Smt. Sheela Chandrashekar. Dr. Narayanan is the Director of KalAradhana School of Arts. Nitya has been learning this artform from the tender age of 10 when she started her dance journey under Anjali Fluker, followed by Davina, and finally, Dr. Narayanan.

The Arangetram was a thematic margam with the message of Sharanagati and how to always bow down to the almighty and our gurus, who show us the path to success, happiness, and good health. The first item was

Nitya Kunta from Windermere

brings Sharanaagati message in her Bharatanatyam Performance

Review by Sankar Krishnan

a Mallari followed by a Ganesha Stuthi Ananda Narthana Ganapathim. Both items, with their crisp beats, challenged Nitya’s Nritta as well as her emotions, as she bowed down to Lord Ganesha. Mallari is known to bring God to the people instead of them going to the temple, due to societal restrictions. With the percussion beats of Tavil, Nitya truly brought Lord Ganesha, to the audience, in a procession in the form of Mallari. This was followed by a piece on Sringeri Sharada, Shringapuradheeshwari. In this item the dancer again bows down to the lotus feet of Shringeri Sharada, who is the mother of all artforms. Again, the Acharya did not fail to exhibit her love to the Almighty and her Gurus through this item. Nitya expressed her devotion through her abhinayam and led the audience through this softpaced item, gracefully.

The icing on top of the cake to any arangetram is the varnam. Many believe that the right varnam can set the correct mood for the entire performance. Bhuvana Sundara explained the story of Lord Krishna, the world’s beauty, and Leelas (plays) in his adulthood. The acharya did not stop at just Padartha Abhinaya, she was also sured to depict a Sanchari with Lord Narasimha and Bhakta Prahalada.

The next two items were Chandra Chooda and Broche Vaarevarura. Both items jumped on the bandwagon of Sharanagati in the form of Reverence to Lord Shiva and Lord Rama, respectively. Nitya, again with her emotions, connected with the audience which was a delightful treat. The items that were chosen for her by Guru B. Bhanumati and Dr. Narayanan were rightfully chosen for her personality and characteristics resembling the gods themselves.

To close the enigmatic performance, Nitya showcased a thillana in ragam Mohana Kalyani. She captured the audience one last time, with a mangalam piece, where she mounted Lord Venkateswara on the mighty Garuda, to the soulful lyrics of Sri Bhadrachala Ramadasu and bowed down to the Almighty and expressed her Bhakti. Amazing orchestral artists

Dr. Subashree Narayanan was on nattuvangam, Shruthi Rajalakshmi (CA) was the vocalist, Santosh Chandru (GA) on mridangam, Hareesh Parthasarathy (CA) on rhythm pad, Krishnamoorthi Seetharaman (FL) on morsing, Sanjana Chandran (FL) on violin and Agastya Sridharan (CA) played the flute.

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