Pandit Jasraj Vocal Concert – An Epitome of Musical Spirituality
By Sunil Pangarkar HOUSTON: When a child is named in India, the parents name the child for what they feel the child represents to them or for what they want it to grow-up to. The concert on 26 July in Stafford Center was named by its organizers (Center for Indian Classical Music of Houston) as […]
Passion for Music Turns a Living Room into a Performance Hall
By Jawahar Malhotra SUGAR LAND: Some people have a passion that drives them to work at both ends of the candle and all across the world looking for a way to claim it. Upma Shah realized long ago as a young woman in Bombay that her passion lay in music but she was astute enough […]
Naach Houston Presents The Show Must Go On 2013
By Malay Vyas HOUSTON: On December 22, 2012, Mahesh Mahbubani’s dream of a community based full time Bollywood dance and fitness studio came true when Naach Houston opened its studio at 2311 Williams Trace in Sugar Land. In six short months, the NAACH team has performed for social causes with non profits like Texana, Pratham […]
TSH Annual Program Barnali Dazzles with Scintillating Performances
By Sanchali Basu HOUSTON: The Tagore Society of Houston (TSH) held its annual cultural program Barnali with great fervor and gaiety at the Houston Durgabari Sur auditorium on July 21. The evening was power packed with one good program after the other. It started off with a modern day Tagore symphony by the TSH Youth […]
Riyaaz Qawwali’s ‘Kashti’ Sails through Mystical Waters
By Haider Kazim HOUSTON: Riyaaz Qawwali, a group of young music lovers, has sailed into mystical waters exploring new boundaries with the recent launch of their first album’ Kashti’ or sailboat. Riyaaz Qawwali, founded by Sonny Mehta in 2006, has practiced hard – as the name suggests – to breathe new life into a genre […]
Mesmerizing Indian Ragas from Classical to Fusion
HOUSTON: It was an eagerly awaited event and when it happened it delivered beyond expectations. On June 15, 2013, the Tagore Society of Houston, in partnership with Houston Arts Alliance and the City of Houston, presented to music lovers an enchanting melodious evening with music maestros from India: Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar on sarod and […]
Mystic Music for the Soul Sways from the Lips of a Young Texas Group
By Jawahar Malhotra HOUSTON: “When words lose their meaning, Sufi devotional music takes over,” explained Navjot Birring as she tried to explain to the uninitiated what type of music they were about to hear. She could have added that qawwali music is putting poetry in motion using traditional instruments, including accompanying clapping and an abundance […]
Fabulous Gatha Odissi Dance Performance
By Sesh Bala HOUSTON: Houston’s “Samskriti” Indian Performing Arts organization, in collaboration with Orissa Culture Center, presented a fabulous Odissi group dance as a part of its “Incredible India 2013” series on May 31 at the Miller Outdoor Theatre. A troupe of 10 artists, 4 women and 6 men, kept a packed audience spellbound through […]
An Indian Classical Music – Jazz Fusion Concert Musical Innovations
By Anita Kulkarni HOUSTON: There are musical presentations galore, but amid a mix of genres the ‘Musical Innovations’ Fusions featuring flute and guitar came out like a beautiful breath of fresh air to an enchanted audience in Houston’s Jones Hall (University of St. Thomas), on Saturday, May 25, jointly organized by Sonali Patil and Sucheta […]
Masala Radio Celebrates 20 Years
By Sandhya Thakkar HOUSTON: The entire night, all we heard was “20 Years? Really? You guys have been doing this for 20 YEARS? Wow..Time sure flies…” Sunil and I celebrated 20 years of Masala Radio with a bang throughout Houston…100% Masala Style. On the Wednesday May 22, Rush Hour show, we ran a special trip […]
Greater Houston Tamil School Annual Day Program
HOUSTON: Houston’s biggest South Indian language school, the Greater Houston Tamil School (www.houstontamilschools.org) celebrated the completion of its academic year with a fantastic annual day program. The event was conducted at Mayde Creek Junior High School, Houston on Saturday, May 25 and was attended by more than 350 Tamil enthusiasts. About 160 students, from the […]
Samskriti to Present the Sixth Annual Incredible India Program at the Miller Outdoor Theatre
HOUSTON: For the past five years Samskriti has been presenting two outstanding shows at the wonderful state-of-the-art Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park – Incredible India and Bollywood Blast. Last year, two amazing dance teams, Nadam and Stem Dance Kampni, from Bangalore, India, presented the very exciting North Indian dance style of Kathak to an […]
Bharathi Kalai Manram Tamil School Celebrates Academic Year’s End
PEARLAND: Bharathi Kalai Manram (BKM Houston.org), Houston’s own Tamil organization (established in 1974) celebrated the completion of the fall semester of Tamil language classes with a grand year end program, conducted by the children of BKM Tamil School at Sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland on Sunday May 19. The children whose age ranged from 4 years […]
AIM for Seva Celebrates Mothers Day
HOUSTON: On Saturday, May 11, AIM for Seva celebrated Mothers day to honor young and “not-so-young” mothers – from all walks of life. The evening was marked with fun and laughter. The highlight of the evening was a fashion walk by mother/daughter and mother/son teams. The young mothers were dressed fashionably and the young girls […]
ISCA Celebrates Mother’s Day with Entertainment and Presents for All
By Jawahar Malhotra HOUSTON: What makes the proceedings of the India Senior Citizens Association so much fun to watch is the way that its President Lalit Chinoy runs them. An affable man with a moustache, argyle sleeveless sweater and a swaying gait, Lalitbhai does not hold to ceremony and conducts meetings, stage shows and introductions […]
Hindu Students Association Celebrates Holi
By Mrinalini Vijalapuram And Vakula Tummala HOUSTON: Holi, also known as “The Festival of Colors”, is a Hindu festival that has also become popular with people of other backgrounds and communities, with thousands of people celebrating it each year. Holi is a joyous occasion that commemorates the story of Prahlad, an ardent devotee of Vishnu, […]
Unique, Exciting Cultural Summer Camps for Youth and Kids
HOUSTON: Global Organization for Divinity (G.O.D.) USA, a nonprofit organization, will conduct four innovative camps this summer in the Houston area – three in Pearland are for kids/ youth of different ages, and one in Cypress for elementary age kids. The Pearland area camps will be held at Namadwaar Prayer House located at 3642 Bailey […]
Soorya Festival Invokes a Powerful Sense of Unity —- Soorya Krishnamoorthy’s ‘Sangamam’ Premiered in Houston May 5
By Ian Staff Reporter STAFFORD: In Tamil and Malayalam, the term ‘sangamam’ describes the coming together of various platforms for a common goal. For those who attended the Soorya Festival’s premiere showcase in Houston on May 5, ‘sangamam’ was brought to life through the diverse performing art forms of India. Padmashree Dr. Soorya Krishnamoorthy, the […]
Gujarat Day Anniversary Celebrated
By Nisha Mirani HOUSTON: The much awaited “Gurjar Mela”, the grand 53rd Anniversary celebrations of Gujarat State was held on Saturday, May 4. Various programs were organized during the day by the Gujarati Samaj of Houston (GSH) in association with local dance schools. The Gurjar Mela celebration was formally launched by Nisha Mirani, President […]
International Festival Celebrated at Montessori School of Downtown
HOUSTON: Nothing speaks multicultural diversity more than Montessori School of Downtown’s International Festival held on April 6. Reflecting the diverse population of the school, students participated in an international fashion show by wearing their native dress and enjoyed cuisines from all over the globe. Fun activities, rides, games and a silent auction made the day […]
