Transmission & the Next Generation
WONDERFUL INDIA FESTIVAL
WEEK THREE: April 15 – 21, 2024
Contemplate the challenges of transmission to the next generation and the innovative ways some are working to preserve the deep cultural knowledge embedded in Indian artistic practices and systems.
Featuring presentations by thought leaders and respected elders, an evening honoring teachers, and live performances by the next generation of dancers, musicians, and artists.
Thursday, April 18, 2024
5pm to 8pm, GALLERY Hall
Open Gallery Hours
Visit during Open Gallery Hours to enjoy original artwork by local artists on display at Wonderful India Festival, a month-long exhibition and celebration of the artistic and cultural wonders of India through art, music, dance, and cultural performances.
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Open Gallery hours are free and open to the public, with a suggested pay-what-you-can donation of $10 per person.
Venue Details: 3806 Cherrywood Rd, Austin, TX 78722
Parking: Free parking available streetside and in Maplewood Elementary School lot at 3809 Maplewood Ave.
6:00P to 8:00P, GALLERY HALL
Lecture and Experiential Yoga Session
Panchakoshiya Vikas
A 5- Dimensional Framework for Holistic Health and Well-Being
Explore a 5-part approach toward holistic well-being in an engaging lecture by Adinarayanan Venkatachalam. The talk blends yogic practices, Ayurvedic food insights, tools from Indic psychology and cognition, meditation, and guided self-reflection.
Panchakoshiya Vikas is a framework to look at bringing holistic development by nurturing the five koshas or dimensions of human life, including the physical, vital, emotional, cognitive and spiritual. The “Panchakosha” framework is born out of the Upanishadic truths and the insights of Siddhas, Seers, and Yogis which inform us of the divine intelligence that is embedded in our lives. The framework of the Panchakosha is holistic, simple to understand, and provides a lot of scope for action and implementation.
Limited tickets are available.
RSVP required to attend, with a suggested pay-what-you-can donation of $12 per person.
Please reserve free tickets for community members who cannot afford to attend otherwise.
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About the Presenter
Friday, April 19, 2024
6:00P to 7:00P, GALLERY HALL
Lecture and Q & A (Hybrid Session)
India’s Educational Heritage
India’s Education Heritage: When Art Was Not Separate from Science
Enjoy a fascinating presentation by Sahana Singh addressing the system of education in ancient India.
Sahana’s talk will take listeners on a journey to Ancient India in which students lived with their Gurus to learn a variety of arts, all of them rooted in science and spirituality. The ecosystem of learning attracted students far and wide and laid the basis for many disciplines that we study in universities today.
This is a hybrid session during which Sahana will be delivering her live presentation remotely to attendees. In-person attendees will have the opportunity for live Q & A with the presenter.
Limited tickets are available.
RSVP required to attend, with suggested pay-what-you-can donation to support additional and ongoing programs celebrating the work of local artists specializing in Indian arts, music, and cultural traditions.
Please reserve free tickets for community members who cannot afford to attend otherwise.
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Sahana Singh is an author and commentator currently based in the United States. With a professional background in environmental engineering, she brings a unique perspective to her writing, with her grasp of diverse subjects such as Indian history, water management, and education. Her first book “The Educational Heritage of Ancient India – How an Ecosystem of Learning was Laid to Waste” has been appreciated for awakening Indians to the role played by India in spreading knowledge around the world. The book has garnered acclaim for its compelling narrative, awakening readers to the profound impact of India’s intellectual legacy.
Building on the success of her first book, Sahana’s second work, “Revisiting the Educational Heritage of India,” published by Vitasta, offers a deeper exploration into India’s distinctive ecosystem of learning. In this work, she meticulously unravels the layers of India’s knowledge-centric society, connecting it with the major academic disciplines pursued today.
Sahana Singh’s work serves as a beacon for those seeking a deeper understanding of India’s cultural and educational roots. Her passion for enlightening others about the enduring legacy of Indian knowledge reflects a dedication to fostering an appreciation for the historical contributions that continue to shape our contemporary world.
5pm to 8pm, GALLERY Hall
Open Gallery Hours
Visit during Open Gallery Hours to enjoy original artwork by local artists on display at Wonderful India Festival, a month-long exhibition and celebration of the artistic and cultural wonders of India through art, music, dance, and cultural performances.
Allow yourself to be captivated by artwork from local visual artists and performances by dancers and groups showcasing India’s artistic and cultural traditions. Stay for the youth performances that start at 7pm!
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Open Gallery hours are free and open to the public, with a suggested pay-what-you-can donation of $10 per person.
Venue Details: 3806 Cherrywood Rd, Austin, TX 78722
Parking: Free parking available streetside and in Maplewood Elementary School lot at 3809 Maplewood Ave.
7:00P to 8:30P, Gallery Hall
Indian Music and Dance Youth Performers Showcase
Friday evening on Week 3 of the Festival features performances by young artists studying India’s classical and folk music and dance traditions.
Celebrate these young artists and their efforts to experience and preserve the deep cultural knowledge embedded in Indian artistic practices and systems.
Featuring performances by:
Sidharth Pothukuchi, Carnatic Vocal
Vivaan Manjunath Gupta, Bansuri Flute
Varenya Sai Mandalaparti, Tabla
The Tulu Tribe, Tulu Folk Dance
Hiya Modi, Hindustani Vocal
Mridul Karnatak, Hindustani Vocal
Keshav Easwer, Mridangam
Jayashree Balasubramani, Bharatanatyam Dance
Dhruv and Srinivas Vadhraj, Santoor Duet accompanied by Varun S. on tabla
RSVP required to attend.
Limited seating available inside the hall.
Saturday, April 20, 2024
12:00P TO 1:30P, COMMUNITY HALL
Visual Arts Workshop
The Ancient Art of Kolam
Learn the techniques of kolam, an ancient art form originating from South India known for its intricate use of geometric patterns and vibrant colors. Enjoy a hands-on workshop and demonstration led by Swathy Vasudevan and try your hand at creating kolam through the rhythmic repetition of dots, lines, and curves.
No previous experience needed. Swathy will guide you to create your own kolam patterns through a meditative process that is both visually rewarding and spiritually enriching.
Workshop recommended for ages 10 and above.
Seats are limited.
RSVP required, with suggested pay-what-you-can donation to support additional and ongoing programs celebrating the work of local artists specializing in Indian arts, music, and cultural traditions.
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1:30P TO 3:30P, GALLERY HALL
Lecture and Discussion
Science Reveals a New Ancient Civilization
One of the most contentious topics in prehistory today is to address who the Indians are. Colonial studies using linguistics proposed that Central Asians invaded or migrated to India during 1500 BCE, effectively replacing the existing civilization. While this received wisdom continues to dominate history textbooks in USA and the world, it is rejected by a vast section of Indians who believe otherwise. Today multi-disciplinary science from diverse areas such as genetics, archaeology, climatology, geology, astronomy are revealing the truth about the Indian civilization. The speaker will take the audience on a vast journey over time, harnessing published scientific results to bear upon the antiquity of the Indian civilization.
Limited tickets are available.
RSVP required to attend, with a suggested pay-what-you-can donation to support additional and ongoing programs celebrating the work of local artists specializing in Indian arts, music, and cultural traditions.
Please reserve free tickets for community members who cannot afford to attend otherwise.
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About the Presenter
Dr. Raj Vedam is an Electrical Engineer, with many years of multi-disciplinary work experience in diverse industries including Power, Aircraft, analog and digital Electronic Design Automation, and Oil & Gas. With several journal and conference papers and patents, he is an innovation leader, with current interests including optimization, modeling and machine learning.
Raj Vedam’s research on the roots of modern sciences, mathematics and technology has led to new insights. Whereas Western narratives favor the origin of astronomy and math (among other fields) as having originated outside India and imported into India during various invasions, Raj Vedam’s multi-disciplinary studies reveal otherwise. His research proposes an ancient Indian civilization that made advances in several fields of knowledge.
As Public Speaker, he has delivered over 300 talks in various cities in India & USA. His YouTube videos have more than 4 million views. He is a visiting faculty at Hindu University of America (Florida), Rishihood University (Haryana, India), and Arsha Seva Kendram (Coimbatore, India) and offers courses on his research findings. He is on the advisory council of Dharma Civilization Foundation (California).
5pm to 8pm, GALLERY Hall
Open Gallery Hours
Visit during Open Gallery Hours to enjoy original artwork by local artists on display at Wonderful India Festival, a month-long exhibition and celebration of the artistic and cultural wonders of India through art, music, dance, and cultural performances.
Allow yourself to be captivated by artwork from local visual artists and performances by dancers and groups showcasing India’s artistic and cultural traditions.
______________
Open Gallery hours are free and open to the public, with a suggested pay-what-you-can donation of $10 per person.
Venue Details: 3806 Cherrywood Rd, Austin, TX 78722
Parking: Free parking available streetside and in Maplewood Elementary School lot at 3809 Maplewood Ave.
4pm to 8pm, Gallery Hall
Indian Traditional Music and Dance Showcase
Saturday evening of the third week of Wonderful India Festival features a curated lineup of performances by local artists specializing in India’s traditional music and dance forms.
Enjoy performances of Carnatic music, Hindustani music, bharatanatyam dance, Odissi dance, Kathak dance, and more. Congruent with the weekend’s theme of celebrating transmission and the next generation, the evening lineup features several teen artists who are studying these traditions.
Featuring performances by:
Community Performers
Gayathri’s Veenalayam, Veena Ensemble
Shanmugapriya Murugakathiresan, Odissi Dance
Kathak Rhythm, Kathak Dance
Teen/Youth Performers
The Mudambi Sisters, Carnatic Vocal & Violin
Parnika V., Carnatic Vocal
Shalini Santhoskhumar, Bharatanatyam Dance
Sparsh Palankar, Hindustani Vocal
Divya Jaganathan, Carnatic Violin
Sankarshan Balaji, Carnatic
Janani Easwar, Bharatanatyam Dance
Sahana Suryanarayan, Carnatic Vocal
Natyanjali, Bharatanatyam Dance
RSVP required to attend. Limited seats available inside the hall.