India Currents gave me a voice in days I was very lost. Having my articles selected for publishing was very validating – Shailaja Dixit, Executive Director, Narika, Fremont
Old-school Hindi film music concert
Baat Ban Jaayen! Each of us have wished for “something to happen!” at various points in our lives. The context is love or romance between a hero and heroin. Dhananjay Kulkarni and his group present a Hindi film music concert, a romantic journey to experience how the legendary singers, lyricists, and composers did their best to express/convey the emotion that’s looking to begin a relationship or take it to a next level. Singing the ever-lasting melodies of Rafi, Talat Mehmood, Lata, Asha, Kishore Kumar will be Kulkarni and top Bay Area vocalists Kaumudee Torsekar, Ajuna Surlaker, and Madhuvanti Bhide. They will be accompanied by Maneesh Bhand, Raj Iyer, and Arun Vishwanathan. Friday, June 5, 8:45 p.m. Congregational Community Church, 1112 South Bernardo Ave, Sunnyvale. $10. (408) 735-9025.http://melodystardhananjay.googlepages.com.
The Source of Life: Earth, planet and soil
The film and lecture series, Green Eye, focuses on environmental issues. This installment will kick off with Dirt! The Movie. Inspired by William Bryant Logan’s acclaimed book, Dirt, the Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, directors Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow employ a colorful combination of animation, vignettes, and personal accounts from farmers, physicists, wine critics, anthropologists, church leaders, children, and activists to learn about dirt—where it comes from, how we regard (or disregard) it, how it sustains us, the way it has become endangered, and what we can do about it. Following the movie will be a talk by Raj Patel, writer, activist, and academic, who has worked for the World Bank and WTO and been tear-gassed on four continents protesting against them. He’s currently a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley’s Center for African Studies and a fellow at The Institute for Food and Development Policy, also known as Food First. He will sign copies of his book, Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System. Presented by 3rd I South Asian Independent Film. Saturday, June 13, 6:30 p.m. movie; 8:15 p.m. talk. Artists Television Access (ATA), 992 Valencia, San Francisco. $7 (one event); $10 (for both). www.thirdi.org.
First Himachal Day and Month Celebrations
Nestled in the heart of the western Himalayas in India, Dev Bhoomi (Abode of the Gods) is renowned for its majestic snow-capped mountain ranges, glorious traditions, beautiful people, and colorful garb and culture. The India Cultural Center will be celebrating its first yearly Himachal Month in June and Himachal day, which will be June 14. The day event, organized by Asha Sharma, Mahesh Nihalani and Avnish Katoch of the organization My Himachal, will include regional cuisine, dance, and music. “Himachal month/day will be a window to Himachal Pradesh for all the people of the Bay Area. It will give them a chance to have a glimpse of the very unique and little known culture of Himachal, preserved for centuries in the shadow of our majestic and beautiful snow capped mountains,” says Sharma. In addition, ICC will have various Himachal displays throughout the month. Sunday, June 14, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. India Community Center, 525 Los Coches, Milpitas. Free. http://himachalday.himachal.us. www.myhimachal.com.
Lecture and Trunk Show on Hyderabad’s Textiles
The Textile Arts Council presents, “Textiles of India: Dilemma for Survival–Conserve or Diversify?” lecture by Bina Rao. Rao is founder of Creative Bee, a design and production studio for hand-woven and hand-printed textiles focusing on the revival of traditional techniques. She and her husband, Kesav, an accomplished painter and master dyer, have created a natural dye farm and craft foundation near Hyderabad to train rural weavers. They strive to raise the profile of India’s rich textile heritage within the international marketplace. Reception and trunk show to follow. Purchases will benefit TAC and the craftswomen of India. Saturday, June 20. Lecture: 10 a.m. Koret Auditorium, de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco. $10 general; $5 museum members/students; TAC members free. (415) 750-3627. Reception/show: 2-5 p.m. Folk Art Gallery, 1321 Fourth St., San Rafael. (415) 925-9096. tac@famsf.org. www.deyoungmuseum.org.www.textileartscouncil.org.