21st Annual Festival of India, Saturday September 15, 4PM-9PM
Posted September 12, 2007
Click Here for the article at utahkrishnas.com
After 20 increasingly successful editions of the India Fest, few people in Utah County are ignorant of the fact that, once a year, you can go to India without spending a lot of money. You can have India right in the middle, of all places, ... Spanish Fork!
Over 4,000 people attended last year's celebration, and India Fest 2007 could be the biggest one yet, thanks to the enthusiastic increase of promotional efforts on the part of the organizers, the majestic, overlooking presence of the Krishna temple at the festival site, and a natural amphitheater which can accommodate thousands.
Set around the Rajastani style, multi domed temple, the eight acre festival site will feature world class entertainment, cuisine, a gift shop, art, photography, cultural exhibits on India, a gala pageant of the epic Ramayana, the burning of a 25' high ten-headed demon named Ravana, and spectacular fireworks.
Please note there are 200 parking spaces on the temple property. Parking is free (festival admission is $ 3.00 adult/$1.00 child). There is no need to park on the road, and walk a long way to the event. It is also advised to bring a blanket for sitting in the grass amphitheater and a jacket against the slight cooling after 8 pm.
Saturday, September 15, 4 pm
India Fest has been celebrated for 21 years in Utah Valley, with an average attendance of 3,500. Most dances and dramas focus on the Ramayana, the saga of Lord Ramchandra, which is India's (and, indeed, all of Asia's) most beloved and instructive epic.
Events will include a Sitar Concert, Indonesian Mask Dances, Dances by Rasa Lila and student from Los Angeles, and Five Students of Shreelata Suresh's Vishva Santi School of San Francisco, further dances by Radhika and Shatakshi, a Musical Pageant of the Ramayana, Kirtans, Bhajans, Cuisine, and the after dark burning of a 25 foot high effigy of demon Ravan with flaming arrows and fireworks.
Cast of the Ramayana Starts 7:30 pm (in order of appearance)
- Keikeyi: Ganga Shibonis
- Mantara: Divya Frasier
- Dasaratha: Richard Franklin
- Bharat: Jai Krishna Perry
- Ramachandra: Rajiv Sharma
- Sita Devi: Gitanjali Sharma
- Lakshmana: Anand Rao
- Suparnakha: Vishnu Priya Shibonis
- Ravana: Richard Franklin
- Marica: Anil Goyal
- Jatayu: Zach Perry
- Hanuman: Jai Krishna Perry
- Ogresses: Ganga & Milda
- Monkeys: Zack Perry and Julio Frazier
Contact Information
Krishna Temple
801 798-3559
801 787-1510
carudas@earthlink.net
www.utahkrishnas.com
Directions:
South on I-15, exit 253.
Follow signs (Krishna's Lotus Temple),
3.7 miles
Schedule of Events
- 4:00 pm: Nam Hatta Band, talented musicians and vocalists from Utah, Colorado, & California.
- 4:30 pm: Radhika Narasinghani, student of Sudha Vasudevan, from Boise, Idaho.
- 4:45 pm: Shatakshi Goyal dances Bharat Natyam
- 5:00 pm: Sashi Kalaskar on sitar and & Ted Weiss on tablas.
- 5:30 pm: The Red Lotus Tibetan Temple will present scenes from the Ramayana with Indonesian masks, mime and dance.
- 6:00 pm: Featured Bharat Natyam Dance performer Rasalila. Rasalila will be accompanied to Utah by one of her students, 61 year old Al Heferkamp.
- 6:30 pm: Five students from Shreelata Suresh's Vishva Shantih Dance School in San Francisco
- 7:15 pm: Drama, The Transformation of Valmiki - a robber becomes the author of the world's greatest spiritual epic
- 7:30 pm: Main Event, Pageant of the Ramayana, climaxing in the spectacular burning of 25 ft. high effigy of Ravana with flaming arrows and fireworks.
- 9:00 pm Mantra Rock Dance at the Lake Stage
·hot meals available for sale thru evening for $ 6.00
·gift store open throughout: womens', mens', childrens' apparel, brassware,
CD's, jewelry, books, art work, etc.