Healing & Meditation
WONDERFUL INDIA FESTIVAL
WEEK TWO: April 8 – 14, 2024
Expand your understanding of holistic well-being through presentations on India’s ancient healing practices and meditative arts.
Featuring an evening of yoga and meditation, workshops on holistic healing practices and art forms, and Indian classical music and dance performances.
Friday, April 12, 2024
5pm to 8pm, GALLERY Hall
Open Gallery Hours
Be among the first guests with the opportunity to purchase original artwork in the gallery by Wonderful India featured artists. Sales of artwork begin on Weekend #2.
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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.
6P TO 7P, COMMUNITY HALL
Group Yoga Session
Introduction to Natya Yoga
Experience yoga combined with dance movements, postures, and poses in a group natya yoga session led by Venkatesh Acharya.
This workshop is geared toward beginning and intermediate yoga students. Attendees must supply their own yoga mats and water bottles. Wear comfortable clothing suitable for a yoga class.
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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7P to 8p, GALLERY HALL
Lecture and Guided Meditation
Breathe Well, Live Well
Breathe Well, Live Well: Harnessing the Power of Breath for Mental Wellness
Do you know our breath can be used as a tool to de-stress and energize at the same time?Mental wellness is as important as physical wellbeing, but it’s often overlooked. Meditation and breathing can play an important role in addressing mental wellbeing.
In this presentation, Selva Kumaraswamy, specialist in meditation and breathwork, will talk about the tendencies of the mind and how to use breathing techniques to manage stress. The talk will conclude with a live guided meditation session led by the presenter. Attendees will discover how our breath can serve as a powerful tool for both relaxation and rejuvenation simultaneously.
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Saturday, April 13, 2024
1:00P TO 3:00P, COMMUNITY HALL
Dance Workshop
Rajasthani Folk Dance
Enjoy an introduction to Rajasthani folk culture through an exciting and colorful dance workshop presented by Mumal Joshi of Wing School of Arts.
During the workshop, you’ll enjoy live demonstration by Mumal, followed by hands-on instruction in specific moves. You can also try on some of the colorful Rajasthani outfits. The workshop caters to all ages and levels of experience.
Limited tickets are available.
RSVP required to attend, with pay-what-you-can donation accepted to support ongoing and future programs. Please reserve free tickets for community members who cannot afford to attend otherwise.
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About the Presenter
1:30P TO 3:00P, GALLERY HALL
Music Lecture and Demonstration
Ragas and World Music
An engaging introduction to the science of ragas, or the melodic elements, of Carnatic classical music and how they can be incorporated into world music.
In this presentation, Chaya Rao will take you through the journey of evolution of ragas in Carnatic music, explain their mathematical application, show the key to the 72 root ragas as well as the principle behind ragas formed as subsets of the roots. Chaya will also explain the connection between tonal and modal music, healing qualities of ragas quoted in literature and presence of ragas in various genres of world music and how best one can infuse them in their practice. There will be opportunity for Q & A at the end.
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
3:30P TO 4:30P, GALLERY HALL
Music Lecture and Demonstration
Exploring the Rich Tapestry of Indian Music: A Multimedia Journey
An engaging introduction to the unique aspects of Indian classical music, led by Dr. C.M. Venkatachalam. The lecture will address both melodic and rhythmic elements, as well as provide an overview of instruments commonly employed.
Enjoy video examples with demonstrations by musicians. A live demonstration of veena, an ancient instrument used in Indian music, will be presented by Poornima Rao.
Limited tickets are available.
RSVP required to attend, with suggested pay-what-you-can donation to support additional and ongoing programs.
Please reserve free tickets for community members who cannot afford to attend otherwise.
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Dr. C. M. Venkatachalam was introduced to music at a very early age by his parents. He studied under Late Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar and under Kollam Harihara Bhagavatar in Chennai, India. He also learns with his aunt Smt Bala Narasimhan of Ottawa. He considers the Late Sangitha Kalanidhi T. Viswanathan to be his mAnasika guru from whom he derives inspiration for teaching music. Several music students are trained and guided at Doraiswamy Home of Music founded by him in 1997 in San Diego and later in Austin. Venkatachalam has been active in organizing concerts and also dealing with audio/video arrangements for concerts. He is one of the founding trustees of Indian Fine Arts Academy of San Diego, CA. In 1999, Cleveland Aradhana Committee bestowed on him the title “Kala Seva Mani”. In 2012 Indian Fine Arts Academy of San Diego presented him with the title “Sangeetha Seva Rathna”. He has a Ph D in molecular biophysics. He was a faculty in University of Michigan and University of Alabama in Birmingham. He worked as a senior scientist in a software company for 23 years to develop computer algorithms for designing drugs.
Poornima Rao started learning Carnatic vocals from her mother Smt. Vijaya Subramhanyam, got her initial training in Veena from her sister, Smt. Sangeetha Srinidhi and subsequently took advanced training from renowned flute artist from the Mali school, Vidwan AV Prakash. She has studied sugama sangeetha extensively under Smt. H.R. Leelavathi, a recipient of the CCRT Scholarship and a graded AIR and Doordarshan artist. She has composed and directed musical ensembles for groups such as Stage Sanchaar and for community events including features for Indian Raga Labs. She is an active musician and active in local music organizations. Poornima continues to learn from visiting artists and local maestros alike, and teaches Saraswathi Veena and vocals. She currently works as a Product manager at Bio-Rad Laboratories.
5pm to 8pm, GALLERY Hall
Open Gallery Hours
Be among the first guests to enjoy the gallery 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 music and dance performances that start at 5p!
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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.
5pm to 8pm, Gallery Hall
Indian Classical Music and Dance Showcase
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About the Performers
Chakradhar Bandla
Chakradhar Bandla has been practicing vocal music since the age of 5. All of his learnings are from his gurus – Lakshmi Ma’am and Ananthapadmanabha Rao Sir. He measures his success according to the peace of mind he gets while singing or listening to classical music. Carnatic classical music is hiw way of connecting to the greater self.
Niyathi Mattapalli
Niyathi has been learning Bharatnatyam for the past 9 years, at Natyalaya School of Dance. Her gurus’ include Guru Vinitha Subramanian, who is director of Natyalaya, and Guru Vanitha Dorairaj. Her biggest achievements in Bharatnatyam include accomplishing my Salangai Pooja and Kalarchana.
Natyala School of Dance
Natyalaya School of Dance, established in 1982 by Vinitha Subramanian, is the oldest and largest classical Indian dance school in Central Texas, teaching primarily Bharatanatyam and folk dances. Their teachers and students perform in dozens of venues across Texas, the United States, and India every year, and have even been invited to perform in the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City this summer.
Rohit Dhamankar
Rohit Dhamankar believes in the “Nada Yoga” as a path to discover oneself and immerse in absolute bliss He took to Carnatic music as an adult, and has formerly been trained in Hindustani music in his childhood. He was trained by Dr. Bhamathi Sudarshan in Austin. He has taken advanced lessons from Kalaimamani Charumathi Ramachandran, a doyenne of MLV baani. He also honours the Carnatic Trinity by helping organize Tyagaraja Aradhana and Mudduswami Dikshitar/Shyama Shastri days in Austin every year. Professionally, Rohit is involved in technologies that help prevent hackers from breaking into networks. He has worked at many start-ups in the Austin area. He has traveled for work to over 30 countries, and enjoys travel and interacting with different cultures.
Kanmoni Prijoe
Kanmoni Prijoe started her dance journey at the age of five. She took training in various south Indian dance forms for over nine years, after which she took a break from dance as she focused on her higher education, career and raising her family. In 2019, she rekindled her formal training in Bharatanatyam, an ancient south Indian classical dance at Natyalaya, under Guru Gayathri Iyer. She also had the opportunity to train under Guru Vineetha Subramaniam and Guru Suma Krishnamurthy. She completed the Bharatanatyam Margam (dance curriculum) in 2022 and is now preparing for her Arangetram in Chennai, India, this summer.
Shalini Vijayarajan
Shalini Vijayarajan is a student, performer, choreographer and teacher of Bharathnatyam. She has been trained in Bharatanatyam in the Vazhuvur Ramaya Pillai style under Guru K.J. Sarasa (4 years) and Bharathanrithyam under Guru Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam (10+ years). A Nritya Praveshika and Nritya Visharada, she learned the 108 karanas of Natyashastra under Guru Dr.Padmasubrahmanyam. She has given various performances in India and US individually and also been part of many dance dramas with her guru. Shalini recently started her own dance school, Krityagnya Natyashala, which aims to help children learn the art form along with its values and have fun in the process.
Hamsa Veerendra
Hamsa is a software engineer and today is going to perform a recital on Bharatnatyam. Her artistry is from 16 years of training in the Pandanallur School of Bharatnatyam under Guru Dr. K S PAvithra. Holding the prestigious title of Vidwath, the highest level in dance examinations by the Karnataka Board of Secondary Education, she has imparted knowledge by examining and judging numerous students for the Karnataka State Board. She is the recipient of a fellowship in Bharatanatyam from the Ministry of Culture, India. She has graced stages across South India with captivating solo performances, enchanting audiences with her grace and precision. Hamsa’s journey is a testament to her dedication and passion for the classical art form of Bharatanatyam.