By Mabel Pais

Flushing Town Hall (FTH, flushingtownhall.org) on Saturday, March 18 will host Celebrate Holi! (flushingtownhall.org/celebrate-holi) — a celebration of the new beginnings that come with the changing of the seasons.

Holi, known as the Festival of Colors, is one of the most popular festivals in Hinduism. The festival is celebrated to welcome spring, a new beginning where people can release all their inhibitions and start afresh. Traditionally, festival participants throw powder dye into the air, covering all in attendance with vibrant colors. For some, the rich colors represent starting a vibrant new life. For others, washing off the dye at the end of the day represents cleansing oneself of evils and demons and a new commitment to living a good life. This year, those attending the Flushing Town Hall (FTH) festival will throw colorful scarves and confetti to celebrate.

The Srijan Dance Company and its artistic director Abha Roy will join the Apoorva Mudgal Ensemble for a concert to celebrate the new season. The festival will feature performances of devotional and Hindustani classical raga music, traditional Kathak dance, a dance drama of Holi, folk dances, and more. The theme of this show is celebrating love and forgiveness.

The Artists:

Abha B. Roy, the artistic director of Srijan Dance Center and Flushing Town Hall’s annual Diwali Festival. A master of Kathak dance, she studied under the guidance of late great Guru Kundan Lal Gangani and attained professional precision under the training of Pt. Durgalal when she completed her specialization in Kathak Kendra, New Delhi. She represented the Indian Council of Cultural Relations and has taught and performed in South America, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. She has also performed throughout Europe and venues such as Lincoln Center, Flushing Town Hall, Queens Museum, NYC Cultural Festival, and many more.

The Srijan Dance Company, founded by Kathak master dancer Abha B. Roy in 2001, has performed at Flushing Town Hall and festival stages throughout New York and the U.S. FTH is excited to welcome them back for this special event. Featured musicians from this group are Tabla-Naren Budhakar and Gulam Mirasi.

The Apoorva Mudgal Ensemble features the serene vocals of Agra-born (North India) and New York-based Hindustani singer and composer Apoorva Mudgal, arranged to Ria Modak’s classical guitar, and Yacouba Sissoko’s Kora (African Harp) to make for transcendental performances of the Urdu Ghazal, Hindavi folk and Punjabi Sufi Kalaam.

“The Holi and Diwali programs at FTH are a great occasion for Flushing Town Hall visitors to come together and learn about and celebrate popular Indian festivals and culture. They promote cross-cultural integration and harmony and also provide a platform to showcase creativity, as many of the art, dance and music performances are fusions of Indian and other forms,” said Mukund Padmanabhan, founder of the Guru Krupa Foundation. “The Guru Krupa Foundation has been a supporter of the Diwali program at Flushing Town Hall since 2019, and this year, we’re very happy to extend this support to the Holi program as well.”

“The Guru Krupa Foundation has been a wonderful partner to Flushing Town Hall, and this generous donation is another example of their selflessness and commitment to celebrating Indian culture and promoting cultural understanding,” says Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “We look forward to celebrating spring’s beginning with this great festival.”

TICKETS

In-person regular tickets for the general public and discounted tickets for members of Flushing Town Hall, seniors, children, and students with ID are available. Tickets must be purchased in advance; they will not be available at the door. Visit flushingtownhall.org/celebrate-holi for more details and to purchase tickets.

Health Safety Protocols:

Until further notice: Flushing Town Hall requires all visitors, performers, and staff to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 with matching identification. Additionally, masks will be required at all times. For more details on Flushing Town Hall’s Covid-safety measures and vaccine requirements, visit: flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety.

Flushing Town Hall

Learn more at flushingtownhall.org.

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SOUTH ASIAN HOUSE PARTNERS WITH SXSW @ 2023 FEST

By Mabel Pais

South Asian House, for the first time showcases events at South By Southwest (SXSW) 2023. South Asian House events will take place at Fourth & Co located at 208 West Fourth St. Unit D in Austin, Texas during the first weekend of SXSW on Saturday, March 11, 11am-2am and Sunday, March 12, 11am-2am.

Featured speakers for the initiative include industry professionals from various sectors such as business, tech, film, TV, theater, music, and fashion. South Asian house will also provide a networking brunch and happy hour each day, as well as live music entertainment and a DJ set each night.

To conclude the weekend, South Asian House will host a Red Carpet Awards Ceremony, presented by Tasveer, at 5:45 pm and a live Oscar Viewing Party at 7pm on Sunday, March 12. Media and photographers are invited to cover the red carpet event beginning at 5 p.m. and may RSVP or request general coverage of the weekend at madelyn@juiceconsulting.com.

South Asian House programming will also include two noteworthy panels on Saturday, March 11. The first, starting at 2:30 p.m., is “Creating South Asian Content for a Global Audience,” which will be an hour-long discussion with actor Rizwan Manji (“Schitt’s Creek,” “Peacemaker”), Emmy-award winning executive producer for ViceTV, Falguni Lakhani Adams, and Emmy-award winning producer of the hit TV series “Delhi Crime,” Apoorva Bakshi, moderated by DFW South Asian Film Festival Founder/Director and producer of South Asian House Jitin Hingorani.The second panel, “Investing in the Future of Our South Asian Stories,” will be from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Panelists for this important conversation will include CEO and Co-founder of URL Media S. Mitra Kalita, actress Kausar Mohammed (“4400,” “The Flash”), and CEO of Create Entertainment Atit Shah, moderated by co-founder of Box Office Guru Media Gitesh Pandya. Learn more about the South Asian House weekend events at southasianhouse.com/programs.“We are so excited to have these fantastic panels that explore topics which are often overlooked when it comes to the contributions of South Asians in the media and entertainment worlds,” states Rohi Mirza Pandya, producer of South Asian House and co-founder of Box Office Guru Media.

“It has been so exciting working with these panelists, given the vast experience they will be bringing to SXSW and what will surely be enlightening conversations,” adds Kirtana Banskota, producer of South Asian House and founder of Banskota Productions.South Asian House

For more information on South Asian House, visit southasianhouse.com.

(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)