I was blessed to get a front-row seat to enjoy famous Indian singer-songwriter, Raghu Dixit perform a amalgamation of Indian and American rock tunes. Not familiar with Indian crossover Rock, but I soon became a huge believer.
I've never been to the exotic land of India, although I've been dying to all my life. I've never got to personally experience the art, culture and architecture of this extraordinary country called India, until today, when I journeyed to the Kennedy Center.
In school, we talked a lot about the influence of India on technology and IT. And yes, just a short trek from the campus of George Washington Univ. to a tremendous three-week festival showcasing the incredible influence of India on everything cultural -- featuring dance, music, cinema, literature, arts and crafts, food, you name it. Everything including the heat, and lots of it.
Yes, the most exquisite performing arts stage in the world was transformed to an splendid Indian palace showcasing ancient artifacts, enchanting crafts from the streets of Bombay and Delhi, a silk shop from Chennai and an impressive display featuring the famous words of Mahatma Gandhi (in bone-shaped letters).
Beyond the visual arts, was the culinary arts, and I truly enjoyed my soupy bowl of chicken tikka massala and luscious saffron rice made by some of the country's top chefs (12 in total), including the head chef at the Taj Mahal Palace who recently cooked for Barack Obama.
Besides the intricate jewelry -- an elaborate headdress made of diamonds and pearls -- contemporary artists and Bollywood stars rocked the night away in a nightclub space called "The Monsoon Club" which is shaped like a frozen monsoon.
Curator, Alicia Adams, explained the name of the three-week Festival: "India is about maximum -- the maximum number of people, the maximum heat you will ever tolerate, the maximum number of possibilities."
Say, ever heard of Indian rock fusion? Perhaps not, but if you have the finger on the pulse, you'll soon hear the folksy beat of this quickly emerging rock cult called the Raghu Dixit project.
I was blessed to get a front-row seat (well, standing room) to enjoy the famous Indian singer-songwriter, Raghu Dixit perform a amalgamation of Indian and American rock tunes that made me feel like India had become that one country that I've never visited, but I truly got to know.
In school, we talked a lot about the influence of India on technology and IT. And yes, just a short trek from the campus of George Washington Univ. to a tremendous three-week festival showcasing the incredible influence of India on everything cultural -- featuring dance, music, cinema, literature, arts and crafts, food, you name it. Everything including the heat, and lots of it.
Yes, the most exquisite performing arts stage in the world was transformed to an splendid Indian palace showcasing ancient artifacts, enchanting crafts from the streets of Bombay and Delhi, a silk shop from Chennai and an impressive display featuring the famous words of Mahatma Gandhi (in bone-shaped letters).
Beyond the visual arts, was the culinary arts, and I truly enjoyed my soupy bowl of chicken tikka massala and luscious saffron rice made by some of the country's top chefs (12 in total), including the head chef at the Taj Mahal Palace who recently cooked for Barack Obama.
Besides the intricate jewelry -- an elaborate headdress made of diamonds and pearls -- contemporary artists and Bollywood stars rocked the night away in a nightclub space called "The Monsoon Club" which is shaped like a frozen monsoon.
Curator, Alicia Adams, explained the name of the three-week Festival: "India is about maximum -- the maximum number of people, the maximum heat you will ever tolerate, the maximum number of possibilities."
Say, ever heard of Indian rock fusion? Perhaps not, but if you have the finger on the pulse, you'll soon hear the folksy beat of this quickly emerging rock cult called the Raghu Dixit project.
India as the world's largest democracy certainly plays an intricate part in today's geopolitical climate. Its nice to see that we are looking to understand their culture and fortifying our bond between nations.
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