Past Events

Basant Bahaar 2008 – Parampara, the family traditions

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By Alka Srivastava

Hum Sub organized yet another successful cultural event for Triangle Area residents - Basant Bahaar 2008. The event was held on Saturday, March 29 at the Green Hope High School auditorium in Cary. Basant Bahaar is supported by a grant from the Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival Committee, which encourages local arts and non-profit organizations.  

The theme for Basant Bahaar 2008 was Parampara – the family traditions. Parampara is a Hindi word meaning tradition. This theme was chosen because Hum Sub recognizes the importance of family traditions as communicated through various performing arts. Our ancestors in India used evocative traditions to cultivate connections between immediate family members and between generations. In today’s world, traditions help families grow together and promote a sense of identity. At Basant Bahaar 2008 many family members came together to exhibit traditions that strengthen family ties as well as bond them with Indian cultural heritage. For example, many of the performances saw mothers and daughters, and brothers and sisters sharing the stage together. Even the Masters of Ceremonies were three pairs of mothers and daughters, and one pair of father and son.  

Additionally, many of the performers presented art forms that were passed to them from previous generations or dances passed on to them by their esteemed gurus. The Guru-Shishya parampara is one of the most ancient traditions of India. Typically, the shishya (student) serves the guru with devotion, while the teacher imparts an art to the student. This tradition was highlighted in many of the performances at Basant Bahaar 2008, including two Thillanas.  

Hum Sub encourages participation from different regional groups of Indian origin. At Basant Bahaar 2008, the program consisted of art forms from various parts of India. There were outstanding classical music performances from east and north India. The audience was spell bound by performances in an array of classical dance forms, including Kathak, Bharatnatyam, and Odissi. Of course, a few energetic dances on catchy Bollywood numbers added masti to the mix. There was also a surprise in store for the audience – a dance performance by members of the Hum Sub Board of Directors, who were introduced to the audience by Hum Sub President during the dance.  

Triangle Residents Celebrate Diwali

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By Alka Srivastava  

The theme for Cary Diwali 2007 was Kalanjali - A Tribute to Art. Congressman David Price inaugurated the festivities by lighting the traditional lamp. In this family event, visitors enjoyed an array of art from India , including dance and music presentations by local youth and artists throughout the day. There was also an exhibition of artwork from India , a handicrafts bazaar, and a variety of Indian cuisine for the visitors to enjoy. In a manner befitting this year’s theme, the exhibition was a tribute to India ’s rich artistic heritage. The exhibits included a hand-painted jhoola, unique paintings, classical dance costumes and jewelry, sculptures, and clothes from different parts of India . One section was devoted entirely to elephant statues and cleverly displayed many different ways in which elephants are decorated in India .  

A record number of vendors participated in the handicrafts bazaar, giving visitors of all ages an opportunity to shop for clothes, jewelry, and artwork. In a change from past years, there were a total of five food vendors – Bamboo Garden , Bombay Grille, Saffron, Sitar India Palace , and Spice N Curry - all local Indian restaurants. In addition to increasing the variety of food offerings, this helped keep the food lines moving faster. The mouth-watering food items up for sale included samosa, chat, biryani, chili chicken, dosa, tandoori chicken wrap, and many other traditional favorites.

he morning show consisted of a cultural program in which a large number of local artists displayed their dancing and singing skills. In a significant increase from the previous year, the morning program showcased the talents of 412 performers and 48 choreographers. The audience was amazed and thoroughly entertained by the array of talent displayed. The artists were talented Triangle-area residents ranging in age from five years to adults in their fifties. Seven charismatic emcees kept the show going and had the audience engaged and enthusiastic all day long.  

The chief guest for the evening program was Congressman Bob Etheridge. The highlight of the evening program was a foot-tapping performance by India ’s first and only boy band, A Band of Boys. The Mumbai-based band consists of Karan Oberoi, Chin2 Bhosle, Siddhaarth Haldipur, and Sherrin Varghese, all four of whom hail from music and showbiz backgrounds. The Band started the show by performing many of their original hits, including Nain Katari, Meri Neend, and Gori, all of which had the youngsters in the crowd on their feet. The Band went on to rock the night by singing and dancing to Hindi movie hits of the 70s and 80s. The audience was particularly entertained with their performance of some Amitabh Bachchan super-hits. Following the band’s performance was a spectacular display of fireworks. The lake-side fireworks lit up the night sky and amazed young and old alike.

Cary Diwali 2006: Vividhata – Unity in Diversity

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On Saturday October 14, 2006, over 11,500 people passed through the gates of Cary ’s Regency Park to attend the annual Cary Diwali festival. The theme for the festival was Vividhata – Unity in Diversity. Highlights of this theme could be seen throughout the event, from the various dance numbers performed by the local talent to the posters seen in the Exhibition Tent. Also shown in the Exhibition Tent was Eternal Ghandhi – a collection of 50 photographs of Mahatma Gandhi from the time of his birth in Porbander to the time of death in New Delhi . These pictures were provided by the Indian Embassy in Washington , DC . In the Exhibition tent, festival attendees watched televised interviews with various Indian dignitaries including Dr. Manmohan Singh, Ratan Tata and Shabana Azmi.

During the sunny autumn afternoon many of the attendees enjoyed delicious Indian food and drink, including samosa, idli, chicken biriyani, gulab jamun, mango lasi, sugar cane juice, and masala tea.  There were plenty of shopping opportunities in the crescent area with many vendors selling beautiful framed pictures, colorful saris, silwar suits, and other Indian apparel. Children enjoyed participating in the activity booth provided by CRY (Child Relief and You) America . Another charitable nonprofit group, Two Cents of Hope, manned a Chai booth. From 1:00 to 4:00 pm, audience members enjoyed watching the local groups perform on the Regency Park Amphitheatre stage. This included over 45 talented acts featuring a variety of Indian dance and music in both classical and modern styles. Also for the first time, Cary Ballet participated in the Cary Diwali event and gave a magnificent performance. Another memorable dance routine was performed by the students of Ligon Middle School .

Shortly after 6:00 pm, Rajiv Satyal ‘the funny Indian’ took the stage, told a few jokes to get the audience warmed up, and then proceeded to introduce the featured performers of the evening - Neena, Veena and the Ishq dance troop. These performers impressed the jam-packed audience with a wide variety of dance numbers including graceful, classical Indian dances in addition to upbeat, energetic Bollywood numbers. The twins performed an amazing sword dance, where they both managed to balance large swords on their foreheads, hips, and shoulders, while dancing in synch to the accompanying music. Neena and Veena also performed one of the belly dances for which they are famous, both moving perfectly in harmony with each other. Also, one dancer performed an incredible fire-eating routine and another dancer did an amazing aerial dance, which displayed an impressive amount of strength and coordination. While the dancers were changing their costumes and preparing for the next numbers, Rajiv Satyal continued to entertain the audience with his humorous stand-up routine. In summary, the professional program with its unique blend of electrifying, diverse dance numbers, colorful costumes, and fun and humor definitely helped make Cary Diwali 2006 an event to remember.

All good things, however, must come to an end, and so did Cary Diwali. Around 8:45 pm, the evening concluded with a dazzling display of fireworks that filled the evening sky with color and lights, and heralded the end of a memorable day.

Basant Bahaar 2006 - Bhávana: Expression.

By Sumitha Nazar Ahmed

On March 4^th, 2006 HumSub celebrated the arrival of spring through the popular event Basant Bahar, with a colorful exhibition of traditional Indian Classical performances. This year’s Basant Bahar added a decidedly Indian flavor to the celebration of spring through its theme Bhāvana: the Indian synonym for ‘Expression’.

‘Bhāvana’ was a showcase of traditional Indian performing arts by Indian Arts Schools in the Triangle area. The event was a huge success with the Green Hope High School Auditorium filled to maximum capacity. The audiences were enchanted with the mystical songs of Tagore and Carnatic kirtanam. The expressions and emotions of spring were brought to life with the dynamic earthy dance style of Bharatanatyam and Andra Natyam. The fast rhythmic strokes of Indian percussion instruments like Tabla and Mridangam left the audience wanting for more… The performers sent notes of appreciation to the cultural committee for their excellent job in sequencing the event.

This year Hum Sub was a recipient of a grant from Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival Committee. Basant Bahar 2006 was supported in part by Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival. One of the members of this committee and the Cultural Resources Manager for the Town of Cary , Mr. Lyman Collins graced the event with his presence.

Overall, Bhāvana was a huge success and it was one more laurel in Humsub’s history of delivering entertainment in all its grandeur.

Cary Diwali 2005:  Pragati-An Ode to Modern India

On Saturday Oct 15^th 2005, thousands of local residents gathered together at Kokabooth Amphitheatre at Regency Park , Cary to celebrate the 5^th annual celebration of Cary Diwali organized by Hum Sub and Town of Cary . Hum Sub highlights one aspect of India in Cary Diwali every year. The theme for Cary Diwali-2005 was “Pragati”- meaning progress. The theme “Pragati” was showcased in the informative exhibit put together by the Hum Sub team. The exhibit highlighted India 's contributions in areas of science, math, economics, social reforms and more. Along with the informative displays, there were information brochures and videos on “Incredible India”, the innovative Endogenous Tourism Program of the Indian Ministry of Tourism. These brochures and videos were gathered from the Indian Embassy by the Hum-Sub team.

“Pragati” was also seen in the progress Hum-Sub has made with Cary Diwali, which started as a small event, in the Herb Young Community Center in downtown Cary , just four years ago. It has grown from an attendance of few hundreds in its first year to above eight thousand this year, justifying the larger venue, Koka Booth Amphitheatre.

The event was a grand success and the audience enjoyed the classical and folk music and dance shows put together by 300 local Triangle performers and artists. A group of dancers from Ligon GT Magnet Middle School performing to Indian film music, showed the assimilation of Hum-Sub with the local Triangle community at large.

Attendees enjoyed Masala Dosa, Idli Sambar, Chicken 65, Chana Masala and lots of other Indian flavors at the food stalls of local Indian restaurants. The completeness of an Indian meal was added by “garam-chai” (Indian tea) and “mango lassi”.

The full day of enjoyment included visiting the bazaar full of Indian jewelry, clothes and arts. Women flocked to these stalls to buy Punjabi suits, breezy skirts, tops and colorful saris.  While women enjoyed shopping, the men relaxed in the cool lake breeze at the yoga booth. Teenage boys ran around in the lush lawn of the amphitheatre playing impromptu games and forming new friends. 

Headlining this year’s festival was the sensational Indi-pop artist, JOSH, picked by MTV India as the BEST NEW ARTIST 2004. Their album “Kabhi” is the longest running pop album on MTV world charts. Their bhangra inspired tracks, which are ripping up the MTV World Chart Express, got the crowd moving and on their feet.

To sum the event in the words of News & Observer reporter who covered it, this was a Day of Light and Cary Diwali festival celebrated both the past and the future under the theme “Pragati”.  

Basant Bahar 2005 : By Rubina Ahmed

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"A Good Program! Worthwhile even attending from out of town”

“Well coordinated and choreographed”

"I am not Indian but I would love to come back. It was great!” 

These quotes from the audience at Basant Bahar are payback enough for all the hard work put in by HumSub members and all the volunteers that made the program a grand success! 

HumSub's Basant Bahar 2005 was held on March 13^th at Green Hope High School 's auditorium in Cary , N.C. The theme of this year's program Rang Umang (Rang: color, Umang: enthusiasm) celebrated the energy and vitality that embodies spring in India . Basant Bahar, now in its 4^th year, has traditionally been a celebration of the India ’s spring season with songs, dances and other cultural performances showcasing local talent.

The program opened out to a packed auditorium, with Indians and non Indians alike turning out in impressive numbers.  The evening was divided into 4 parts each portraying a different facet of Spring. The 4 sections being Rang Raas (love), Rang Sugandh (fragrance), Rang Tarang (waves of music), and Rang Sudha (nectar - signifying new life).

Almost a 100 local performers participated in the program that kept the audiences entertained for 3 hours. Performers ranged from 5 yr olds Nicole and Natasha who danced their hearts out to the amazing Malayalam song set to Bhangra beats (!!), to the show stopping adult dance group Jhankar-Beats who regaled the audience with their energetic performance to the popular hit song ‘Dholi Taro'. Other items included folk songs and dances from all over India , classical performances and popular film songs and dances. Alaap, a band made up of students from NC State University entertained the audience with their talented performances.

Another highlight of this year's Basant Bahar was the 'Caterpillar theme'. Between performances, a story was enacted to music about a caterpillar that emerges from its egg into the beautiful world it was born into and its journey through different phases in life. In the grand finale it transforms into a beautiful butterfly on a spring day to fly away to realize its purpose in the grand scheme of life.

The butterfly also delighted the kids by making a special appearance off stage to hand candy and by posing for photographs with the kids. 

Basant Bahar 2005 proved to be another feather in HumSub's cap with its record of delivering excellent annual programs - both Basant Bahar and Cary Diwali. Thank you for your unflinching support in making this program a grand success! 

Cary Diwali 2004 : By Rubina Ahmed
 

Hum Sub did it again! Hum Sub's Cary Diwali 2004 turned out to bean event to remember - with close to 8000 people attending the festivities held at Cary 's Koka Booth amphitheatre at Regency Park !  

The day started out chilly and bright, quickly turning into a beautiful fall day under gorgeous North Carolina blue skies. Congressman Price lighted the symbolic diya to inaugurate the event. People started trickling in towards noon. By the time the cultural program celebrations took off the arena was buzzing with hundreds of people - families strolling in the amphitheatre's green lawn, vendors selling everything from jewelry to Indian food; and families and spectators milling around the stage to watch the lively programs. Indian culture enthusiasts visited the artfully done exhibition area which displayed posters show-casing various facets of Indian culture and history along with traditional clothes and objects. They also were able to attend hourly scheduled demos of Indian musical instruments like the Sitar and the Tabla. Kids were kept entertained by the clown, face painting, moonwalk and slides. Cary Diwali's 2004's theme - "Taal - the beats of India " was reflected in everything from the artful decorations on the main stage, to the performances and the exhibition. As the evening set in and the time for the main event approached, the crowds swelled, eagerly waiting for Panjabi Hit Squad accompanied by our local singer Gunjan Singh's main performance.

 Gunjan regaled spectators with old Indian melodies sung to Panjabi Hit Squad's fusion beats. Panjabi Hit Squad had people from the audience on the stage in no time dancing to their 'desi beats'. The young and old alike swayed to Panjabi Hit Squad's blend of Indian and hip hop beats to hits like 'hai-hai'. A dazzling fire works display, reflecting over the amphitheatre's lake marked the end of an eventful day reminding us of the traditional celebration of lights - Diwali. 

For Hum Sub's Cary Diwali team, and scores of volunteers, it was a day when their months of tireless planning and preparation came to fruition. Hum Sub works with the Town of Cary to raise awareness about the Indian Culture and traditions in the Research Triangle park area. Admission to Cary Diwali is kept free of charge and Hum Sub’s volunteer board raise part of the cost through sponsorships and vendor fees.

Now that Cary Diwali 2004 is behind us, it is time for Hum Sub to begin preparations for Basant Bahar - A festival of spring. Hum Sub has come a long way, starting out Cary Diwali at the Cary downtown's community center attended by a few hundred people to planning an event attended by thousands- Indian Americans and locals. We thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you at our next offering - Basant Bahar - Details coming soon on our website!

Basant Bahar 2004 : By Nilanjana Dutta
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On February 28, 2004 Guru Sridevi Jagannath’s Laasya School of Dance presented its Spring offering, Ananya. The auditorium of Green Hope High School was filled to capacity for this Hum Sub sponsored free performance which raised money through donations for Operation Phone Home, a project that enables US troops abroad to stay in touch with their families. Fittingly enough, one of the subjects dealt with in Ananya’s multi-themed production was conflict and resolution, a subject that is poignantly relevant in our times. The nearly two-hour program was presented in two halves with the first half showcasing the entire ensemble of Laasya in traditional Bharatanatyam pieces and the second presenting an effusive fusion of tradition and contemporary dance styles. While the first part highlighted the structured beauty of pure classical dance, the second celebrated the youthful vivacity of experiment and innovation. In highly energetic pieces, dancers made the enormous diversity of the Indian sub-continent come alive in all aspects, ranging from flora and fauna to religion. There was even a piece about political corruption! All in all, Hum Sub’s Spring 2004 offering had something for everybody. No wonder the auditorium remained packed till the end. Congratulations to Ms. Jagannath for making Ananya possible, and kudos to Hum Sub for not only entertaining us in such style, but also for letting us be a part of Operation Phone Home.

Nilanjana is a grad student of comparative literature and Teaching Assistant at UNC, Chapel Hill .

Basant Bahar 2003 : By Nilanjana Dutta

Hum Sub, Inc. exuberantly greeted the spring of 2003 through Basant Bahar (literally translated-Spring Glory), an evening of festivities on March 15. As usual, the variety of programs reflected the diversity of the Indo-American community in the Triangle area. Participants of all ages charmed a sold-out audience of near-600 in the auditorium of East Chapel Hill High School with a dazzling array of dance, music, and mime. Classical and folk styles of performances, hearkening to a timeless India , existed side by side with hip contemporary Bollywood-inspired entertainment. Swirling lehengas, trendy black parallels with single-shoulder tank tops, kurta-pajama and dhotis in earth tones worn by the participants-represented the sartorial variety of modern-day India . While the evening was chilly and rainy, inside the packed auditorium there was warmth, laughter, and a feeling of well-being. The latter no doubt aided by the spicy aroma of Indian food supplied by a well-known local restaurant. All in all, Basant Bahar was an unqualified success, a truly royal welcome to yet another spring.

Nilanjana is a grad student of comparative literature and Teaching Assistant at UNC, Chapel Hill .

Cary Diwali 2003 celebration :  By Nilanjana Dutta
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Hum Sub's October 18th celebration of Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, ended with fireworks. The dazzle of the ten-minute shower of lights perhaps captured the sparkling nature of the daylong festival itself. After a brief spell of shower the night before, the sky above was a true Carolina blue and the grass under feet a still vibrant green on Saturday. The wide expanses of Cary 's Regency Park amphitheater comfortably accommodated nearly 7,000 people throughout the day who ate, shopped, and socialized against a backdrop of throbbing beats of Bollywood and folk music. Dancers decked out in colorful costumes performed on the raised stage on one end of the arena from midday till five in the evening. As the sun dipped into the horizon and the stars began to come out, the stage lights came on to shine on Penn Masala, a youthful group of acapella singers from the University of Pennsylvania . The eleven members of the group sang popular Hindi film songs as well as their own compositions, perhaps the best known of which was "Show me the meaning of being Desi." The chemistry between the performers and the audience was unmistakable. It was, simply put, a two-hour long love affair, intense and immensely satisfying. It was the crowning glory of a day planned around the theme of "Swagatam" or "welcome". Everyone who attended left with the feeling of having been treated as a beloved guest of Hum Sub. This warm memory of this day well-spent will take us through the coming months of winter until we meet Hum Sub again in spring, for its much awaited spring festival.

Basant Bahar 2002

Sold out event featuring entertainment programs by young, old and in between.

Cary Diwali 2002

Cary Diwali makes history by record attendance of 6000 people throughout the day