SHAMA, Inc. A nonprofit 501(c)3 organization
Steve Bartelt, Registered Agent
9011 County N, Almond, WI 54909   (715) 366-2444
Woman carrying load of leaves 

Festival of India History

Recent Festivals  ||  Workshop History  ||  1988

The First Festival

The first Festival of India was on July 10, 1988, sponsored by the Women in Higher Education of UWSP and the SPASH Peace Club. The program was from 4:00 - 5:30;  dinner was served at 5:40.  Five hundred dollars was raised for scholarships for women at Shrimatri P. N. Doshi Women's College in Bombay.  Click here for more information about the 1988 festival. This first Festival has grown into an expanded format over the years, but the underlying reasons for it have continued: education about Indian culture in a fun-filled atmosphere and fund-raising to help destitute women and children in India.


 Recent Festivals
2001-2007

Festivals from 2001 - 2008 offered workshops from 3:00 until 6:00, a buffet dinner from 5:00-7:00, and a stage show beginning at 7:00 PM. In 2006 the first pre-stage show was offered in the auditorium from 6:00 - 7:00. See the types of excellent stage shows that have been presented in the past from both professional and semi-professional performers.

A bazaar selling items from India and Indian clothing, games for children, henna painting, folk dancing, palm reading, horoscopes, and videos have been held throughout the Festival every year.

Entry to the Festival, including workshops and the stage show, has always been free of charge; tickets are needed for the buffet dinner--a wonderful menu of Indian foods each year.


Workshop History

Multiple workshops are offered each hour in the afternoon between 3:00 and 6:00 PM.  Festival guests can choose from  a wide range of exciting, informative, or spiritual experiences.  These workshops were offered in one or more Festivals from 2001-2008.

Indian religions: Buddhist; Islam; Hindu; Sikh
Inner Peace
Yoga
Reiki
Meditation,
Vipassana Meditation
Ramanujan--Indian  Mathematical Genius
Roundtable Discussion for parents of Indian children
Gypsy dancing
Kirtan
Vanprasth Ashram
Poverty and Environment: Invisible Connection
Journey to Old Tibet
Indian Architecture
Bollywood Dance

Indian wedding customs
Indian cooking
Bhagavad Gita
Ceremonies of India
Kamasutra and Dharma
Indian musical instrumetns
Chanting
Travel tales from India
Visit to SHAMA's projects in India
Renew your wedding vows in Sanskrit
Bharat Natyam dance
Rajasthani dance
Indian vocal music
How to wear a sari & other Indian clothing

Indian religions: Buddhist; Islam, Hindu, Sikh Indian music:

Performances in 1988

  • Su Swagatham - A welcoming dance, by Sonia Adwani, Kavita Bhat, Anjali Tannan, Nisha Adwani, Maya Thake, and Shannon Thake.

  • Jathiswaram - A composition of melodious swaras (notes) given visible form in this dance, by Ritu Chander.

  • Plate Dance - Folk dance from Rajasthan, India, by Richa Chander.

  • Thaye Yashoda - A dance depicting various episodesi n Lord Krishna's life. Dancer - Sathis Pillai; Singer - Bhanumathy Pillai.

  • Gypsy Dance - Jayshree Chander and Ritu Chander.

  • Demonstration of how to wrap and wear a sari, by Indira Mahavir.

  • Artiste Dream - Dancing dolls challenge their creator to dance various styles of dance in his dream.

  • Tillana - Sculpturesque poses and variegated patters of movements which demand the ultimate grace and elegance, by Meenakshy Bhaskar.

  • Violin performance of a song from the film "Nagin", Man Dole, by Jennifer Burton and Richa Chander.

  • Shiva Parvati - Festive dance of Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati, by Ritu Chander and Jayshree Chander.

  • Morning Love - A dance inspired by Ravi Shankar's composition, in modern India dance style.

  • Fashions from the East, by Shamala Balasubramaniam.

  • Bhangra - Folk dance from the state of Punjab, India.

1988 Working Committee
(Offices and titles have been omitted from this list)

Francis L. Schmitz, Jyotsna Chander, Jean Rumsey, Subash Migann, Bhola Singh, Barbara Dixson, Damodar Ramanuj, James DeCruz, Paul Charles Lemke, Juanita Keller, Renu Jaspal, Sojoy Nag, Usha Singh, Khai Meng Lee, Jim Oliva, Frank Keller, Kamal Nasrallah, Rebecca Kholman, Darrell Zaleski, David Larkes, Duong Duong, and Jamil Hossain


Festival of India || Buffet Dinner || Workshops || Pre-Stage Performance || Stage Performance

Home      About SHAMA      Programs      Events      Partners      Donations

 



Web design by Lynn Kirby
Last updated September 2008