Punjab News Express/Balbir Singh
INDIANAPOLIS: The India Association of Indianapolis celebrated the 2018 Holi Festival of Color at Global Village, 3685 Commercial Drive Indianapolis 46222 on Saturday. The festival was earlier postponed to April 7 due to inclement weather, with unexpected heavy snow making the Indianapolis a whiteland.
This year's festival of colors again displayed the rich Indian culture, folk dances, dances on Bollywood Beats, Indian food.
A medley of Bollywood songs by Ananya Mistry, Divya Parikh, Saanvi Mistry and Sanaya Parikh was a tribute to late Bollywood star Sridevi. It was choreographed by Alpa Mistry.
At the conclusion of the indor cultural programme, the attendees moved out in open to play Holi. With the beat of the Dhol by Samra and Raju Chinthala, the festival of colors added extra color to the program. Throwing of 'Gulal' (different colors) was free-for-all. Non-allergic colors were used, claimed the organisers.The attendees of all age grooups enjoyed it. Kids were seen running and chasing to "color' each other. Faces and hairs and clothes were all colored. Besides Indian-Americans, members of the other communities also enjoyed and participated in the function.
As the people took their seats around 10.45 a.m, Indian Association of Indianapolis president Venkata Tadikonda welcomed them all. It was followed by National Anthem of USA (Star Sprangled Banner ...) and Indian National Anthem (Jan Gan Man Adhinayak Jay He ...) were sung by Youth Committee and Youth volunteers.
Invocation (Shree Gananatham Bhajare) was performed by Tejasvi Tadikonda and Aninditha Nagajothi. It was coordinated by Padmaja Tadikonda of Mahati Music Academy. A group comprising Prachi Pandya, Om Pandya, Kinjaf Songirkar, Vedika Vyas and Krisha Vyas performed Ganesh Vandana. Choreography was done by Puja Pandya.
Tavishi Om, Myra, Isha, Parina, Saavi, Vibha, Mishka, Kia, Sanaya, Vriddhi, Lorissa, Vedika, Krisha, Esha, Shruti, Sarah and Ava enthralled the guests with Bollywood Beats (Little Champs). It was choreographed by Jenny Bhupatkar of Bollywood Beats . It was followed by tribue to late film star Sridevi.
Dancing to Holi remix based songs by Paavana, Mahira, Saarvi, Haasini, Veera, Paarchi, Tanvi and Aanya kept the spectators spell-bound. Choreography was done by Veena Mane of Taal School of Dance.
The programme continued with Bollywood dancing to a medley of songs by Kirtee Ayitha, Navya Ayitha, Pranavi Tadikonda and Tejasvi Tandikonda. Kirtee Ayitha was the choreographer.
A team comprising Aarna Singh, Akshita Saini, Ishika S and Kavya S participated in Bharatnatyam to a classical fushion music.
Anoushka Poduval perfomed Pushpanjali in Raaga Bhouli. It comprised versus from Natya Shastra and Aditya Hrudhayam. She is winner of first plae in Bharatnatayam dance at international level dance competition organised by Indian Raaga.
A multi-cultural programme by Trupati Binawade, Vidya Balasubramaniam, Puja Vyas, Anjushree Bothra, Richa Vidhi Garg and Sneha Singla -- Bollywood dance merging East, West, North and South -- was choreographed by Sneha Singla of Jhankarar Beats.
Shruthi Garugu and Neha Garugu were part of the Bollywood dance to Soulja Jogi remix. It was choreographed by Shruthi Garugu and Nahe Garugu.
With IAI secretary Ravi Sajja thanking the attendees, the Festival of Color commenced. There was cheers and enthusiasm on all multi-colored faces with everyone throwing colors.
The IAI organising committee consisted of Venkata Tadikonda, Pallavi Belamkar, Rajan Arora, Smitha Abhilash, Shanthi Karthik, Poonam Singh, Kushal Kant Singh, Shakila Garugu, Ravi Sajja, Rimple Patwardhan, Vidya Sagar Garg and Janvi Bhatia.