Atlanta Vedic Temple celebrates Dussehara
An enthusiastic crowd of over 450 adults and children celebrated Dussehara, the festival signifying the victory of good over evil, by burning a 12-foot effigy of the evil king Ravana and bursting firecrackers at the Greater Atlanta Vedic Temple in Lilburn, Georgia, on Oct. 11.
The festival began with a narration by Dr. Chandora of the story of the war that symbolizes the victory of Shri Ramachandra, the righteous prince of Ayodhya, over King Ravana of Lanka. Dr. Chandora explained that Rama’s triumph over Ravana came on the tenth day of the war, which is celebrated as Vijayadashami every year. Also marking the occasion was a lecture by Dr. Hariharan on the relief of stress and sickness through the powers of Indian music. Dr. Hariharan, a scholar on the subject, has conducted doctoral research on the benefits of some Indian music not only on humans but also on animals, including fishes.
The celebration, which ended with a feast, was coordinated by the efforts of Vinod Sharma and a team of dedicated volunteers.
Acclaimed dancer duo at annual recital
“Omkaram”, a celebration in dance of the various forms of Shiva, was the theme of the Kalaivani Dance and Music Academy’s annual recital for 2008 at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center on Oct. 5.
Some 120 of the academy’s students, of ages ranging from four years to 45 years, performed to a fusion of eastern and western melodies. The dancers, trained in Bharatanatyam by Ms. Padmaja Kelam and Master Siddharth Kelam, brought to life the glorious sculptures of Indian temples and some remarkable fables from Indian mythology.
The performance started with an invocatory music composition of Ragamalika by Sunil Joshi.
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