Page 12 - Anandamela 2019

Ananda Mela 2019: Message from Latha Sambamurti

th
th
Namaste! On July 27 and 28 , Redmond City Hall campus will play host to the tenth
edi on of Ananda Mela: Joyful Fes val of India, presented to you by the Vedic Cultural
Center (VCC) of Sammamish in collabora on with the City of Redmond. The founder
and visionary leader of Ananda Mela, Harry Terhanian, and dozens of reless volun-
teers of VCC have worked year-round to offer this beau ful fes val to Redmond’s resi-
dents and visitors this weekend.
Ananda Mela aims to showcase Indian arts and culture with intricately cra ed displays,
entertainment on mul ple stages, par cipatory ac vi es and contests for everyone,
informa ve and enlightening presenta ons, and other memorable experiences includ-
ing tasty food and irresis ble shopping. Fes val grounds open at 12 noon. On the Gan-
ga Stage and Yamuna Stage, you can witness and enjoy performances of a wide range
of classical, folk, and popular dance and music tradi ons from different parts of India.
The prime me performances occur between 6 pm and 9 pm on both days. On Satur-
day, The Mayapuris, musicians and dancers from Utah, will be entertaining and inspir-
ing audiences. Sunday’s prime me show features two high energy groups from Los
Angeles, namely Bollypop and Desert Fire, collabora ng to give you a high- energy ex-
perience of Indian dances from the ultra-modern to the tradi onal. During this Sunday
show, we will be staging the highly popular Aloha Bhangra Dance Contest for audience
members. The grand prize is a free vaca on for two to Hawaii! The second prize is a
th
comprehensive experience for two at the 14 Tasveer South Asian Film Fes val in Se-
a le.
You will take delight in the extensive array of colorful visual treats and tradi onal deco-
ra ons all around the ground. As well, you won’t want to miss this year’s special fes -
val addi on: a series of workshops and presenta ons on the theme of Live Healthy, Be
Happy. Another must-have experience is the Vedic village, a model of a fully self-
sustaining tradi onal Indian community. We have packaged a number of interes ng
items for you in Vedic Village, including processions, performances, cooking, astrology,
garland making, face pain ng and many other displays and ac vi es.
Ananda Mela is not complete without the plethora of par cipatory events and hands-
on ac vi es. Garland making, making your own spices, and walking with pots are just a
few of the ac vi es awai ng your involvement. Cooking contest, chess contest and
rangoli contest have been designed to engage you keenly.
And with delicious food from diverse regions of India, bouncies
and clown shows for children, and other a rac ons, Ananda
Mela is bound to be a pleasant, immersive, and memorable
Indian experience for people of all ages and na onal origins.
Welcome to Ananda Mela!
Latha Sambamur
Ar s c, Outreach & Development Director, Ananda Mela

12