Flushing Town Hall Celebrates 11th Annual Diwali Festival on Saturday, October 18

On Saturday, October 18th, from 12 PM to 4 PM, Flushing Town Hall will celebrate its 11th annual Diwali Festival. The global arts venue will present delicious Indian food, Kathak dance, classical Indian music, and art for audiences of all ages at its Festival of Light.

The fun-filled afternoon promises a vibrant celebration featuring several family-friendly performances and workshops where attendees can immerse themselves in Indian culture and tradition. The stage will come alive with a mesmerizing dance presentation by Kathak classical dancer Abha B. Roy and her Srijan Dance Company, followed by a beautiful sitar recital from Pt. Kinnar Seen, accompanied by Dr. Naren Budhkar on tabla. Families can learn Indian classical and folk dance steps, try their hand at block printing with Dr. Alka Mukerji, and create beautiful rangoli art with Dr. Anju G. Modak. Throughout the event, guests can savor delicious Indian food from Chef Nupur and Queens Curry Kitchen, and even learn to prepare a few traditional dishes during a cooking demonstration. To round out the experience, guests can get a henna tattoo with Bella Beauty, try their hand at Hindi calligraphy, and enjoy more cultural delights.

"We are so excited to bring back our beloved Diwali Festival for its 11th year, a highlight of our year-round global arts programming for the wonderfully diverse audiences of Queens and the whole NYC metro area," says Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. "We are incredibly grateful to the Guru Krupa Foundation for their longtime support of this program and the communities we serve."

Diwali, or Deepavali, comes from the Sanskrit word meaning “row of lights.” It is a day of solidarity, where the soft light of diyas – or oil-wick candles – illuminates streets and homes, banishing the darkness of ignorance and suffering. Diwali began as a part of an ancient harvest festival, which celebrated the fertility of the earth and prosperity of the new harvest. Though Diwali has taken on a significant meaning in Hinduism, in India, it is celebrated by all groups regardless of religious affiliation as a time of renewal and growth. Since 2023, Diwali has been a public school holiday in New York City. This year, the official Diwali holiday will be celebrated by South Asian communities worldwide on October 20.

"For our Diwali Festival, we're bringing master teaching artists to the general public to lead hands-on workshops in Indian dance and art," says Gabrielle M. Hamilton, Director of Education and Public Programs at Flushing Town Hall. “This is a unique opportunity for families to learn about rich and colorful Diwali traditions together. It's a joyful and immersive experience that should not be missed!"

Performers and presenters include:

• Abha B. Roy, the artistic director of Srijan Dance Center and master teaching artist, has led the Flushing Town Hall Annual Diwali Festival since its beginnings. A master of Kathak dance, she studied under the guidance of the late great Guru Kundan Lal Gangani and attained professional precision under the training of Pt. Durgalal when she completed her specialization in Kathak Kendra, New Delhi. She represented the Indian Council of Cultural Relations and has taught and performed in South America, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. She has also performed throughout Europe and venues such as Lincoln Center, Flushing Town Hall, Queens Museum, NYC Cultural Festival, and many more.

• Kinnar Kumar Seen was born into a musical family as the eldest son and disciple of the well-known Punjab musician, Acharya Lachman Singh Seen, from whom he learned tabla and sitar from an early age. He has accompanied many great artists and received numerous accolades and awards internationally, performing throughout the world at the oldest Hindustani Festival: Harvallabh Sangeet Sammelan in India, the Festival of Asila in Morocco, and even at John Lennon's residence.  His album “Lost in Bliss” was recorded with his family, including Samir Chatterjee, and can be found on streaming platforms.

• Naren Budhkar was groomed in the classical music tradition in India. He has performed with stalwarts of vocal, instrumental and dance music at prominent venues like Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Museum. He has also recorded with Alicia Keys, shared the stage with American singer-songwriter and conductor Bobby McFerrin, and toured internationally in Europe.

• Nupur Arora, owner of Queens Curry Kitchen. Fashion designer-turned chef, Nupur started Queens Curry Kitchen as a way to explore her creative endeavors with food and a diverse palette. What started as a hobby soon became hugely popular amongst Indian students of a prestigious New York university who loved her home-style food that reminded them of food made by their moms. Today Chef Arora is the author of a book, “The Vegan Indian Home,” with many others in the works, but continues to share her flavors with her food through catering and events, and weekly meal delivery service, all from her Queens Curry Kitchen.

• Anju Gupta grew up in Mumbai, India, and from an early age, she was fascinated by Rangoli. As she later went to medical school, she continued this passion and entered competitions featuring large Rangoli designs. Anju discovered her interest in Indian classical dance and found the perfect dance teacher in Abha B. Roy as she lived in New York. For Anju, both dance and Rangoli are colorful and evocative and give her peace as well as an opportunity for meditation, allowing her to destress from her emotionally challenging job as a doctor looking after critically ill babies.

The event runs from 12:00 to 4:00 PM at Flushing Town Hall, located at 137-35 Northern Blvd. Flushing, Queens. Tickets—$20 adults/$15 member adults/all children are FREE—are available at https://www.flushingtownhall.org/event-detail.php?id=894.

This program is generously sponsored by the Guru Krupa Foundation.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.flushingtownhall.org.