Utah's Krishna Temples will host the Annual India Fest
September 28 in Spanish Fork & 29 in Salt Lake City.
Contact: Charu Das or Vaibhavi Devi
801.798.3559 / 801.787.1510
utahkrishnas@gmail.com
After 26 increasingly successful years of
India Fest, few people in Utah County are unaware that, once a year,
you can go to India without spending a lot of money. You can have India
right in -- of all places -- Spanish Fork! Now, this year an additional
India fest will be held in Salt Lake City. The Sunday event in SLC will
involve the same entertainers & Ramayana drama as in Spanish Fork,
but will be held indoors for a maximum of 400 people, and, obviously, no
fireworks.
Amrita Gopala Dasi's article on India Fest 2009
Lisa Marie's photo blog : India Fest 2009
Over 4,000 people attended last year’s
celebration in Spanish Fork, and the second, more modest SLC event will
give a chance to visitors who want the same basic event without straying
out of the city that weekend.
Admission is $3.00 person/$1.00 children.
Set around the Rajastani-style, multi-domed temple, the eight acre
festival site will feature world class entertainment, cuisine, a gift
shop, henna hand decorating, art, photography, cultural exhibits on
India, a gala pageant of the epic Ramayana, the burning of a 20’ high ten-headed demon named Ravana, and spectacular fireworks.
Schedule of Performances
5:00 pm, Kirtan By Jai Krishna Das & Friends
5:30 pm Sudha Kargi Dance Troupe
6:00 pm Sri Latha Singh Dance Ensemble
I
am a Bharatanatyam dancer, who trained first under the Guru
Dhananjayans in Chennai, and then Guru Kalyani Shekhar in Delhi. I then
lost touch with dance for about 15 years, until I revived my passion and
interest for this ancient art form, under the instruction of Divya
Narayanan. Dance is the language of my soul, communicating with the
divine. This classical dance form takes me back through the centuries of
tradition that flow through my veins. I have a PhD in Mathematics and
my day job involves quantitative equity modelling?
Here are the items we will perform.
1. Mallari (dance evoking a traditional temple circumnambulation of the deity preceeded by musical instruments and dance)
2. Devi Stuti ( an offering to the mother goddess)
3. Muralidhara Kauthuvam ( in praise of Krishna)
4. Bala Kanaka Maya Chela ( a Thyagaraja hymn where he asks Lord Rama for compassion)
5. Rusli Radha ( a tiff between Radha and Krishna reflected in all of Brindavan/Gokul)
6. Mangalam ( a note of blessing for the whole world)
Students who will perform with Sri Latha
Are: Malavika Singh and Arundhati Oommen (9 years old), Sahana Balaji
(10 years old), Maya Jammulapati (12 years old)
The
main event 7:30 pm, will be a pageant of the world's most loved epic,
the Ramayana. It culminates at 8:30 pm with the spectacular burning of
the effigy of evil Ravana with flaming arrows and fireworks.
*Please note
this last part of the burning of the effigy and fireworks will occur
only in Spanish Fork. In SLC the pageant of the Ramayana will stop short
of that point. Otherwise, both day's programs will be the same.
There are 400 parking spaces on the
temple property. Parking is free. There is no need to park on the road,
and walk a long way to the event. It is also advised to bring a blanket
for sitting in the grass amphitheater and a jacket for the slight
cooling after 8 pm.