Leading Cultural Center of New York commemorates Saints and Sages

@theindpanorama

8 years ago

Purnima Desai, Founder and President of Sriniketan speaks about the aims and objects of Sriniketan Foundation

FLUSHING, NY (TIP): Sriniketan Foundation celebrated Shri Parashuram, Adi Shankaracharya, Shri Ramanujacharya and Shri Narsimha jayanti and Buddha Purnima on Sunday- May 22nd, 2016.

Sriniketan foundation is giving platform to perform and promoting young and adult renowned artists from India , local eminent artists and students of Shikshayatan Cultural Center to grow and glow by exhibiting their inborn talents and their hard work i.e. Sadhana. This organization is always in a festive mood to bring awareness in the community especially the youngsters to learn so many names of the festivals, names of saints and patriotic leaders who have contributed so much that today we are free to celebrate the freedom. We should not forget their sacrifices, penance and great deeds to free India.

Opening ceremony was done by Kavita Mahabir with Lord Ganesha prayer followed by Maa Saraswati’s bhajan “Hey Sharde Maa”. She displayed her talent and faced the audience and renowned artists with confidence. Kavita Mahabir also sang raag Bhimpalasi Chhota Khayal and ended with “Nagendra Haaraayaa Trilochanaaya”, Shiv Panchaakshar stotra written by Shri Shankaracharya. Shikshayatan students played and sang themselves that is the beauty and they were accompanied by a student tabla player.

A renowned vocalist from Kolkata Vidushi Sangeeta Bandhopadhyaya accompanied by Anirban Chakravorty on harmonium and Shivalik Ghoshal on tabla gave a splendid performance and thrilled the audience. Sangeeta ji is a “top” grade musician Patiala and Indore gharana, leading artist as well as she is All India Radio and ICCR artist from India. Sangeeta ji’s voice quality is truly unique and she has mastered her voice with intense Sadhana and received extensive training from Sangeetacharya Chinmoy Lahiri,Ustad Munawar Ali Khan and Pandit Kamal Bandyopadhyay.

Suresh Ketwaroe a guitarist and vocalist sang two beautiful light songs on his guitar and he too mesmerized the audience.

Renowned H.H. Guru Dileep Ji Maharaj of World Yoga Community blew sankha for a long time and blessed Sriniketan foundation. He reminded me of a very well-known yogi,Late Swami Buaji who always attended Shikshayatan Cultural Center and did the sankha ceremony few times in the opening ceremony of the events and truly blessed all of us. Eminent tabla player and painter blessed us with his technical knowhow of tabla and its importance, history and variations in playing tabla. He also exhibited various monsoons by special affects playing tabla. We all cherished his performance.

Jayesh Vyas, a popular dholak player was so good that the audience could not stop dancing and participated with grace and wonderful smiles.

We encouraged singers from the audience to participate also. Ashok Singh, Jessi Dhillon, Jagruti Desai surprised us with their singing talents. The purpose of Sriniketan Foundation to bring joy and peace was well experienced. Body, mind and soul all were in tune with cosmos through this event. Mahaprasad was served in the end.

(Report by Purnima Desai, Founder/ President of Sriniketan Foundation)