“Thousands of years hence, this story will be told and retold. Many authors will interpret it in plays and ballads. Children will act out skits in languages yet to be born. People of alien races and cultures, clad in strange costumes, speaking stranger tongues, and living in lands far away from here will listen to this tale and admire it.”

So said Brahma when he urged Valmiki to write the tale of Rama, but he may never have predicted that thousands of years hence it is the story of Sita which is being told and retold in a land far away from where it was born. Not the story of virtuous and submissive Sita in subordinate role, but the story of virtuous and strong Sita; ideal, chaste wife who was devoted to her husband till the end of her life, who shared his adversities, and served him untiringly in the forest; married to the perfect man who was virtuous, brave, dutiful, truthful, noble, and kind to all beings.

So why does the virtuous Sita have to prove her purity and innocence to her virtuous husband, King Rama? This is the question which drove Sathyaprya Mandjiny, an International Studies and South Asian studies student at UNC, Chapel Hill, to bring the story of Sita to life in the musical dance drama “Sitayana” staged on August 20, 2011 at Cary Arts Center, Cary, NC for Hum Sub Inc.

Adapted from K.R. Srinivas Iyengar’s “Sitayana-Epic tale of the Earth-Born”, this musical dance drama was a cumulative effort of Sathyaprya, who not only conceived the idea but also portrayed the role of Sita, Ramya Kapadia, a Carnatic vocalist and a Bharatnatyam dancer and teacher who choreographed the dance, and Smitha K. Prasad, also a Carnatic vocalist trained in Bharatnatyam who scored the music.

With a cast of over 20 dancers and a live orchestra consisting of talented artists from the triangle region, it was a treat and an honor to watch this performance. The amazing vocals by Ramya, Smitha and Siri Varadan was supported with Veena by Kalyan Sundhar, Flute by Sindura, Mridangam by Kushal Seetharam, Table by Maressa McCall and with Keyboard, and Ghatam by Anuj Kapadia.

The uniqueness of this production was that the story was told in verse form in English as written by K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar, who is a professor of English. This made it so much easier for the non-Indian attendees and the children to understand the essence of each scene and correlate the mudras and bhavas with the story being told.

While portraying the saga of the character Sita, the writers of the production also took effort to address all the seven kandas as depicted in Ramayana and made sure all the important plots of Ramayana was either portrayed or narrated through different characters.

In Bala-Kanda scene, we saw the birth of Sita and her childhood years with her sisters Urmila, Mandavi and Srutakirti. In Ayodhya-Kanda, Rama-Sita story was told from the time of their marriage in Mithila to their exile in forest. In Aranya-Kanda, we were shown the visit of the couple to the ashrams of Rishis Sarabhanga, Sutikshna, and Atri. Also included was the inspiring discourse by Anasuya, wife of Atri, to Sita on the duties of a wife.

The happenings of Kishkindha were summarized retrospectively by Hanuman to Sita when he meets her under the Simsupa tree in the Ashokavan in Lanka, while the Sundara-Kanda and Yuddha-Kanda was narrated to Sita by Trijata, the daughter of Vibheeshana.

The story of Rama normally ends in Uttara-Kanda with the portrayal of Ramarajya. But Sita’s story went beyond and as the last chapter of Sitayana unfolded, the tragedy of Sita’s life, her walk through flames to prove her purity, her subsequent exiled life in Valmiki’s ashram and finally her disappearance to the womb of the earth was so poignantly and artistically portrayed that it brought a grand applause from the audience.

Sitayana was not only the story of the leading woman of the epic “Ramyana”, but it also addressed many strong woman of Ramayan like Gargi, Maitreyi, Katyayini, Arundhati, Ahalya, Lopamudra, Mandodari and Tara, all intellectual strong woman yet helpless in the actions of the men in their life.

This was the first full length musical drama venture for Ramya kapadia and from the response of the audience in Cary Arts Center, it was an very successful attempt. The cast of Sathyaprya as Sita and Teja Yarlagadda as Rama was brilliant. Mrinal Das as Ravana drew lot of applause and kaushik Swaminathan as hanuman was enthralling. Bethanie Mickles as Surpanakha needs special mention for her riveting performance. They were all ably supported by the rest of the cast members.

Also a mention should be given to the amazing auditorium at Cary Arts Center with the state of art equipment for lights, sound and projection, which took the show to a whole new level of sophistication.

Hum Sub is honored to present this feast of visual and musical presentation and provide a platform to bring all talented artists of the local region to come together and showcase their ability to a diverse audience that was present that day.

 

Second year in running, team Hum Sub working with Town of Cary and Community at large pulled off yet another fabulous episode of Garba Night 2011. This year’s event was held on October 1, 2011 at Booth Amphitheater in Cary and attracted crowd of gigantic proportion from such a diverse population in the Triangle area. People came in droves with great fervor to celebrate Navratri season with Garba and Dandiya despite colder than usual weather during the event day.

Ever beautiful Booth Amphitheater, the venue maintained by Booth Amphitheater staff working with Cary Town Parks and Recreation, in a picturesque backdrop provided a perfect platform for what was to come in the wonderful evening. Lighting of holy lamp by Cary Mayor, Harold Weinbrecht, marked the beginning of festivities. It was followed by inaugural speech by Cary Mayor who highlighted diverse nature of Cary population making it a melting pot of cultures and Indian arts and culture having a very special place.

The Garba night cultural program started with a stupendous music performance by Triangle Youth Musicians group – Khelaiya. This incredibly talented group of youngsters sang and played instruments to mesmerize audience with variety of Garba music.

Next on stage was none other than hugely popular ‘Tanweer Mian’ (www.tanweermian.com) started with a bang marking the beginning of the highlight performance of a memorable evening. Hum sub’s own multi-talented Sampada Agarwal along with Parul Kharod proved to be a perfect ally for Tanweer adding oomph to the already groovy environment. The venue was filled with beautifully dressed women in traditional Indian costumes such as choli, ghagra and bandahni dupattas and men in kurtas and kedias performing dazzling display of garba. Crowd danced with colorful dandiya sticks adding to the already colorful ambience.

The dazzling dance and music continued well into late in the evening and ended with an array of Bhangra songs by Tanweer that literally brought the entire crowd to their toes. There was also a food vendor selling delicious Indian snacks to cater to the starving audience. The entire event was ably supported by the dynamic duo of Hum sub and Town of Cary (including Booth Amphitheater) teams in all aspects.

 

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Basant Bahar 2011: “Nav Tarang – A Wave of New Beginnings”

By Anandakrishnan Narayanan

Saturday – April 16, 2011 was an eventful day for multiple reasons. There was a tornado sweeping through the triangle area causing lot of heart burn for affected people. At the same time there was a different kind of event sweeping through the area warming lot of hearts almost trying to soothe everyone through Basant Bahar 2011. Tornado, heavy thunder storms, power cut and fallen trees could not stop the organizers, performers and above all audience from attending Basant Bahar 2011 held at Athens Drive High School, Raleigh.

It was an emphatic display of dedication and love for the culture and it’s expression by the participants and their families considering the weather conditions to show up for the event. The event was also well attended by people from all walks of life adding a true international flavor to the already colorful evening. Distinguished guests to grace the event included Cary Council Member Don Franz (http://donfrantz.blogspot.com/) and Cary Cultural Arts Manager Lyman Collins.

This year’s event featured Dance and Music from various states and highlighted not only similarities, but also the differences that make India’s culture truly unique and diverse to perfectly fit the title ‘Nav Tarang – A Wave of New Beginings’. Evening’s proceedings started with beautiful invocation bhajan on Lord Ganesh followed by a fantastic fusion of vocal, instrument and dance from the state of Bengal. Core of the event also included various forms of dance and music expressions from different states in India such as Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan , Orissa, Nagaland, to name few.

Choreographers’ efforts of working with the teams for months on preparation leading towards the event truly showed in the quality of the program. They showcased varied repertoire of dance and music that included variety of themes performed by fewer individuals to larger groups in different age groups with both male and women alike representing a huge diversity. The program’s grip on audience was such that they were riveted into their seats through out the two and half hours. Top it all there was also a food vendor committed to ensure audience were fed with delicious Indian snacks reminding of a famous Thiru kural that roughly translated into ‘We need to fill up our stomach with food if and only if we don’t get good food for our ears!’.

Basant Bahar 2011 was well presented by Master of Ceremonie’s Simmi Prasad and Dipak Prasad with an excellent team of Hum Sub volunteers to pull of such a wonderful event. In the end none of us could resist the feeling of wanting more that reminded of the famous Pepsi advertising slogan “yeh dil maange more” a.k.a “This heart wants more”.

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Basant Bahar 2010: “Sangam – A confluence of talent”

By Sridevi Jagannath.

Hum Sub’s 10th year celebrations began this year with a grand presentation that showcased Triangle’s most reputed dance and music schools. In celebrating its 10th anniversary, Hum Sub awarded cultural grants’ of $500 to dance groups and $250 to music groups. All the local dance and music teachers and choreographers were invited to present a unique concept with a theme. The awardees were selected based on their uniqueness and creativity of their ideas submitted. The event was appropriately given the theme “Sangam – Confluence of Talent”.

For a decade, Hum Sub has celebrated the glory of spring, by presenting Basant Bahar. This year’s feature took the event to a higher notch by setting the stage for noteworthy Indian artists in the Triangle to exhibit their creative genius.

The evening’s performance attended by more than 700 people took the audience through various facets of Indian dance and music. Glittering costumes and vibrant sounds filled the Green Hope High School auditorium. The Music groups enthralled the audience with fusion of Jazz and Indian classical music and a rhythmic ensemble group exemplified the challenges of bringing up kids in a Diaspora environment in America.  The dance schools rendered a treat to the audiences with their nuances in the thematic representations such as traditional Indian Bharatanatyam dance with a contemporary twist, patriotism, inner vibrations, the journey that Kathak has embarked over the years and a presentation dedicated in the honor of two great apostles of peace Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.

This year’s Basant Bahar was partially funded by a grant from the Lazy Daze Arts and crafts festival, a Cary based festival supporting local arts & non-profit organizations and activities.

Hum Sub, a Town of Cary supported and all volunteer-led organization was able to successfully impart a unique experience to the audience through an array of entertainment at Basant Bahar. Harold Weinbrecht, Mayor of Town of Cary, who was the Guest of Honor at the event, presented the awards to the grant winners. The 6 grant winners were: Infusion Music Group, Spand Dance Company, Kalashrishti School of Performing Arts, Branavan Ganesan’s Music Group, Taurya Dance School and Payal Dance Academy.

“It was a very well organized event! I was really impressed by the synchronization of the talented dancers and the vibrant colors” said Anna Zbroinska-Dickerson, a Polish citizen who has been a resident of Cary since 2003, after spending her evening at Basant Bahar on May 7th, 2009.

The responses from the crowd after Basant Bahar 2009 reverberated the same excitement as Anna’s description of the event. For the last few years, Basant Bahar has heralded and celebrated the beginning of spring in the Triangle area adding a decidedly Indian flavor to the celebration of spring. Since the inception of the event, Hum Sub has worked alongside with Town of Cary to portray a different facet of the celebration of spring through a variety of themes.

Basant Bahar 2009 showcased ‘Basant’ or Spring through the theme ‘Lok Utsav’. The expressions and emotions of India’s richly diverse tradition were showcased in this year’s Basant Bahar through performances of Folk Dance and Music. Folk Dances of each state, though simple are beautiful, different and colorful.  They are performed as an expression of joy and celebration. Lok Utsav presented an aspect of Indian culture that is very diverse but sometimes forgotten amidst the other modern art forms

An array of unique folk dances and singing styles captured the audience at Herb Young Community Centre, Cary.  The community centre was filled to capacity. It was talent and skill of the students and choreographers from various dance and music schools from around the Triangle area that centrally delivered the impact, as they captivated the crowd with exquisitely arrayed versions of songs, skits and traditional Indian folk dances.

Town of Cary Park, Recreation and Cultural Resources have partnered with Hum Sub since its inception and have supported Hum Sub’s goals throughout their partnership. Over the years they have helped to fund both, Basant Bahar and Cary Diwali, another annual event put forward by Hum Sub every Fall. This year’s Basant Bahar was partially funded by a grant from the Lazy Daze Arts and crafts festival, a Cary based festival supporting local arts & non-profit organizations and activities.

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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.  

Like previous Hum Sub events, Basant Bahaar 2008 enjoyed support from many segments of the community. This event saw a record attendance of 700. Over 140 performers and choreographers showcased their talents at the event. The performers ranged in age from five-year olds to adults and seniors. Hum Sub hopes that with enthusiastic attendance and participation by the community members, the upcoming annual celebration, Cary Diwali, will also be a sensational event.

On March 4th, 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 yearHum 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.

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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 13th 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 4th 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! 

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 .

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 .

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

“When the history of Booth Amphitheatre is written, Diwali might just turn out to be its most epic chapter.” – Cary Citizen

The above accolade sums up the success of Cary Diwali this year’s event with an apt theme of ‘Sanskriti – Culture Transcending Borders’. Eleventh year in running, team Hum Sub working with Town of Cary and Community at large pulled off yet another fabulous episode of Cary Diwali 2011. This year’s event was held on October 22, 2011 at Booth Amphitheater in Cary and attracted crowd of gigantic proportion from such a diverse population in the Triangle area. People came in droves with great fervor to celebrate Diwali despite colder than usual weather during the event day.

Ever beautiful Booth Amphitheater, the venue maintained by Booth Amphitheater staff working with Cary Town Parks and Recreation, in a picturesque backdrop provided a perfect platform for what was to come in a bright and sunny Saturday morning. Lighting of holy lamp by Cary Mayor, Harold Weinbrecht and Don Frantz, Town Council Member marked the beginning of festivities.

This was followed by an impressive roster of performances from the local community members – from little children to grown-ups, as well as performances from NCSU and UNC Dance Groups and a Turkish Dance group.

There was an incredible Exhibition themed ‘Establishing Roots, Culture Transcending Borders: The Asian-Indian American Diaspora in the US’ exemplified important contributions by citizens of Indian origins to the community at large including the Triangle area. As always, exhibition is one of the key components of Cary Diwali and its getting better every year. This year’s exhibition also included unique Indian folk art that’s very much functional in everyday life by artist Ms.Sampada Agarwal and fabulous art work by Mr. Vimal. There were also kid’s activities to learn decorating Diyas, make Rangoli and luminaries in the exhibition area. Another unique activity included painting of umbrellas that were to be given away in a raffle.

Crescent area of Amphitheater was filled with vendors selling beautifully crafted Indian Jewelry, excellent array of Indian art, clothing and other artifacts. There was a wide variety of food vendors where attendees could get authentic Indian food and beverages. There were Non-profit organizational in various forms and shape and other services in representing various facets of the community. Triangle area’s incredibly talented Indian community portrayed variety of Indian dance and music from different parts of India with participants of age 7 through 70.

Russian Dance Ensemble – Mayuri epitomized this year’s theme in how a Russian dance school in remote places of Russia was able to foster, highlight and share Indian artistic traditions across geographic borders, Led by Evgrafova Vera Ivanovna. This incredibly talented group of 18 beautiful Russian women showcased Indian traditional and modern dance styles with such aplomb.

Their mastery of various Indian dance forms, from classical to folk and modern Bollywood, along with their elegant yet energetic performance had the audience spellbound and mesmerized. As a fitting finale, the event wrapped up with a colorful display of fire works.

Congressman David Price, Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Cary Town Council member Don Frantz and Minister Mr. N.A.Prasad from Embassy of India, Washington DC were few of key dignitaries to grace Cary Diwali this year. Key sponsors of the event included Himanshu Shah of Shah Capital Management and major corporations in the Triangle area.

The Fall line-up of Hum Sub’s offerings also included an outdoor movie event at Booth Amphitheatre on Aug 18th and Garba Night on Oct 1st 2011. Hum Sub sponsored the screening of “Outsourced” as part of the “Movies by Moonlight” Series. The festivities started with a small skit, culminating into a Bollywood dance number – appropriately setting the tone for the rest of the evening. The movie itself, starring Josh Hamilton and Ayesha Dharker, presented an interesting look at the differences and similarities between Indian and American culture. The chilly weather on Oct 1st did not stop attendees from enjoying Garba in an open venue with live music. An energetic show by accomplished artist “Tanwer Mian” had people dancing to his melodies late into the night.

Once again the Hum Sub team put together a string of amazing events, fulfilling its mission of raising awareness of Indian cultural traditions in the Triangle area. The Hum Sub team sincerely thanks all volunteers, vendors, performers, visitors and sponsors for their continued support.

Reflections from our 2012 star performers – Mayuri Dance Ensemble

Cary Diwali 2011 Media Coverage

The 10th Anniversary celebrations of Hum Sub catered to the entertaining needs of a wide genre of audience. The celebrations comprised of a variety of events ending with an evening filled with color, dancing and food. Hum Sub – 2010 Post Event Read More..

            Padharo Mhare Des was this year’s theme of Cary Diawli. On October 10th, almost 12,000 people attended the celebration of Diwali at the Koka Booth Amphitheater in Cary, NC.  HumSub, a cultural group based in Cary, NC, put on the 9th annual Cary Diwali festival, one of the largest open-air festivals of its kind in the south-eastern United States. This year’s theme focused on the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Rajasthan.

The day-long festival started off with breath-taking classical as well as Bollywood dances and inspiring musical performances. Kids, adults and people of all ages in between shared the stage on this day to display and embrace the spirit of Diwali, most in Rajasthani style. Altogether, more than 600 performers including many from outside the local Indian community performed. The celebration opened with a proclamation by the mayor of the Town of Cary, designating Oct 10 as the Ninth Cary Diwali Celebration.. .. .  Also in attendance were U.S. Congressman David Price, Mayor of Cary, Harold Weinbrecht and Town of Cary Council Members, Julie Robison, Erv Portman, Jack Smith and Dan Frantz.. The highlight of the festival was a spectacular evening program featuring Indian Idol 2006 Sandeep Acharya and runner-up Aditi Paul. The two brilliant singers filled the open air venue with pop and classical tunes.  As Sandeep Acharya finished his astounding act, fireworks leapt into the night’s sky, providing a wondrous ending to a fantastic day.

Aside from the day-long cultural program on the main-stage, the celebration included a unique exhibition on India, a handicrafts bazaar, and a variety of Indian cuisine. About 80 photographs of Rajasthan’s people, palaces, and landscape by noted Indian photo artist Prof. Shivnarayan Joshi were on display. People from both near and far and of all sorts of different ethnic background came together to enjoy the festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil.

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The curtains have come down the 8th annual Cary Diwali celebration held at the Koka Booth amphitheatre on October 11th 2008. The event was put together by the Hum Sub organization in conjunction with the Town of Cary Parks Recreation and Cultural Resources. The theme for this year’s event was “Santulan – An expression of harmonious equilibrium”. It was yet again another successful and entertaining year with over 12600 people from all walks of life in attendance experiencing the delicate balance that was India in all aspects of the event.
This year the inauguration of the event was conducted by Ms. Mary Jean Eisenhower who lit the lamp and then addressed the crowd. Other dignitaries that were present during the morning inauguration, in addition to the Hum Sub board and volunteers and Town of Cary dignitaries, were Ms. Jennifer Weiss and Mr. Don Frantz, both of whom addressed the crowd with Mr. Don Frantz reading the declaration from the office of the Mayor of Cary declaring October 11th as Cary Diwali and urging all citizens to attend the event. The crowd was kept enthralled for over 5 hours with cultural programs that were put together by local choreographers and schools. This year saw the emergence of young talent with many first time choreographers demonstrating their excellence in putting together shows that showcased the theme of this year’s show “Santulan” and depicting the balance that exists in and is India. There were also several performances that were put together by non Indian artistes reinforcing the fact that Cary Diwali is a place where cultures meet.

The other big draw at this years Cary Diwali celebration was the exhibition that showcased the cultural diversity of India. Put together with the help of the Indian Embassy contributions and a host of dedicated volunteers, the exhibition showcased pictures from the two states of Kashmir and Goa and the city of Benaras in India. Each of these places have a different primary religion and the pictures on display managed to capture the delicate balance that existed with people from different religions and walks of life co-existing.

Attendees were also able to sample food from various parts of India as five different local restaurants vied for business with delicacies from various parts of India all in one place. Vendors with other Indian artifacts, clothes, decorations also made part of the “mela” that was going on in the background. This year saw a rise in the number of vendors proving how successful the event has grown to be over the years. The whole setup brought back memories of being in India.

The highlight performance of the evening was by VJ, actress, model turned singer Raageshwari who kept the crowd entertained and wanting more for the two hours she sang. She was accompanied by dancers from a local school of dance and the crowd joined in the singing of their favorite songs.  The feet tapping numbers were mixed in with songs that were patriotic and filled with expressions of love.

Sadly all good things have to come to an end and so did Cary Diwali 2008, but not before a spectacular showcase of fireworks lit up the night sky for over 10 minutes. As the crowds left and vendors packed up their wares everyone applauded at another successful celebration and looked forward to a better one next year.

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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.

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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.

On Saturday Oct 15th 2005, thousands of local residents gathered together at Kokabooth Amphitheatre at Regency Park , Cary to celebrate the 5th 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”.  

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!

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.

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