INDIA CULTURAL FEST (ICF) – 2013 & KIRTAN MANTRA MUSIC
Our event is Sponsored by:
A festival to give everyone a unique experience of Mantra Music, Dance, thought provoking stories and ofcourse FOOD.
Participants will have an opportunity to learn about Kirtan, Mantra Meditation, Indian cooking, Yoga, Arts, Henna and more. Stalls with each of these items will be set up to give a quick learning and practical experience.
A one and half hour of dedicated session of Kirtan with popular kirtan singers, Devadas and Prem Hara. Through various meditations the singers will lead us to another level of reality where participants will enjoy peace and joy through Music. The Music will not only de-stress but will also give a sweet impact and experience that will last forever.
Sacred storyteller Andy Fraenkel shares wisdom stories of ancient India about the dawning of the Kali-yuga, this age of quarrel and hypocrisy
A cultural theme will be depicted though Classical Indian Dance.
Admission Fee: $25 Children under 12 can attend for free. Click here to buy tickets from BrownPaperTickets.com.
FOOD: Snacks and Dinner (Over 30 Indian Delicassies to Choose from) included in the Admission Fee
For more information please contact Shyam or call (312) 531-0079
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About Devadas
Devadas is a kirtaniya, composer and songwriter hailing from Brooklyn, New York who began singing as a teenager, performing on street corners in his hometown of Portland , Maine . After moving to New York City, he had the good fortune to meet his Guru, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), and under Her inspiration has been leading kirtans at satsangs, yoga studios, meditation centers and temples all over New York , the U.S. and India.
In 2013, Devadas made his Mantralogy debut with Brooklyn Mellows, an homage to the late great kirtaniya Aindra Das, which features a collection of musicians and singers from the vibrant New York City kirtan scene and beyond, including Anjula Saraswati Prasad, Terrence Pompey, Nina Rao, Mark Gorman, Genevieve Walker and others. He’s also released “Bhajans”, an album of traditional chants as well as three albums of original devotional compositions, “Ocean – Songs for Amma”, “Shine Shine On” and “Milton’s Glen,” working with luminaries such as Krishna Das and Wah along the way.
As a composer, he’s collaborated with indie rocker J Mascis to score the soundtrack to the feature documentary One Track Heart / The Story of Krishna Das and as a producer, worked with Nina Rao on her 2013 release Antarayaami – Knower of All Hearts. He’s also regularly produced sacred music events to benefit his Guru’s Embracing the World humanitarian charities, and along with fellow chant artists Gaura Vani, Jahnavi Harrison and Dave Stringer, is working with the Call and Response Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing kirtan and sacred music to under-served groups of people.
For more about his programs see http://www.devadasmusic.com
About Premahara…
Awaken the fullness of your heart with this dynamic duo who have dedicated their lives to the love of Kirtan and living that joy with others!
Attracted by Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion, Kamaniya and Keshavacharya Das have spent many years living in ashrams, searching for the divine through devotional service and singing. Seeing the impact of chanting on people, they were inspired to commit their lives to sharing the universal spiritual practice of kirtan with the Western world.
Known for her joyful expression, Kamaniya’s love for sacred chanting is apparent. As well as leading her own kirtan for the past decade, she has accompanied eminent devotional singers such as Shyamdas, Jai Uttal, Girish, Durga Das and Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits.
Keshavacharya Das’ search for a deeper meaning to life led him to a little Indian town amongst shrines and sadhus, where kirtan became his life. For years as a monk his every breath was spent in meditating on and celebrating divine sound. He spent the last few years traveling across the USA performing kirtan at many yoga studios and retreat centers. Keshavacharya’s acclaimed debut album, Crying of the Soul, has become a favorite among many kirtan CD collections.
Prema Hara’s debut album Sweet Surrender was released internationally in March 2010 by Mantralogy, followed by the highly acclaimed Tears of Love, released in April 2011.
Distributed by Warner Brothers, Mantralogy is a conscious lifestyle resource delivering music, products, and transformational events that center around the growing subculture of sacred music.
For more about their programs see www.premahara.com
About Andy Fraenkel (aka Sankirtan Das)
Andy Fraenkel is an award-winning performer and author. He is a recipient of a West Virginia Artist Fellowship Award and an Ohio River Border Initiative Grant. Over the last 30 years he has performed and offered workshops in a wide variety of venues: schools colleges, churches, libraries, and museums. He offers storytelling from around the world to elementary schools.
He has also given presentations at numerous conferences and special events, including Parliament of the World’s Religions Centennial Event (1993), Religious Communications Congress (2000), Dharma Conference (2003), and the National Storytelling Conference (2006).
His workshop, In Search of Story, helps participants explore the stories of their life’s journey. Andy offers Katha – a traditional Vedic/Hindu format of dramatic storytelling meant to be both entertaining and enlightening. He also coaches those who want to hone their theater, storytelling and writing skills.
His recently published Mahabharata: The Eternal Quest has excited scholars at universities across the country. Subhash Kak, PhD, at Oklahoma State University calls his telling, “Fresh, fast-paced, cinematic!” Professor Kevin Cordi, PhD, Professor, Ohio Dominican University states the author “maneuvers through the story’s monumental terrain with ease. His powerful narrative captivates and sustains the reader.” Greg Emery, PhD, Director of the Global Leadership Center at Ohio University writes, “Both entertaining and erudite. A delight to read – and ponder over.” Professor Burke Rochford Jr., at Middlebury College writes, “Beautifully written and inspirational. Andy Fraenkel makes the Mahabharata come alive. . . a truly wonderful rendering of one of the great epics of ancient India.” For more on Mahabharata book see www.Mahabharata-Project.com
For more about his programs see www.sacredvoices.com
About Nikita Bokil
Nikita Bokil, is currently a Freshman at Carnegie Mellon University’s Information Systems (IS) program. She has been learning Bharatanatyam for the past seven years under the guidance of her Guru, Shreemati Nandini Mandal, artistic director of Nandanik Dance Academy. Nikita, had her Bharatanatyam Arangetram on June 1st, 2013 at the South Fayette High School auditorium with over 300 guests in attendance.
Nikita has participated in various dance programs at events such as the Regatta, the Pittsburgh Folk festival, Weirton Festival of Nations, Ugadi, G-20 summit, Pittsburgh Cricket Association Annual Galas, MMPGH RangSangeet, Bengali Association, weddings, and at other locations throughout the US. Nikita has also attended various workshops from reputed dancers visiting Pittsburgh representing different dance forms of India—NavaNritya and Chhau (Shree Sanjib Bhattacharya) and Bharatanatyam (Shree Pavitra Bhat). She also helps teach the junior classes at Nandanik Dance Academy. Her academic achievements include National Merit Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, 2012 PA Gov School of Global Entrepreneurship attendee and a successful partnership project with Siemens. Nikita is a recipient of the 2013 Outstanding Young Citizen Award by Trib Media. Some of her community activities include volunteering at the Carnegie Science Center for 4 years and attending the first NephCure Walk in Pittsburgh. Nikita has also taught dance to “Uncles” in her neighborhood for Diwali programs, and performed in a local drama. She holds a black belt degree in karate and used to teach classes at her old school. In her spare time, she likes to compose and play piano music, play video games, bake, and annoy her younger brothers.