India fest 2013

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.

Read more: http://utahkrishnas.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101&Itemid=191#ixzz2en6Fhmwh