The virtual Diwali: Lights of India festival, 2020

Welcome to Festàl Seattle’s 8th successful Diwali festival! Diwali: Lights of India is organized by Northwest Share, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization run by 100% Volunteers. Northwest Share promotes arts, culture. education, health and humanities.

This year, owing to restrictions placed on large public gatherings, we are going virtual. Please join us from home, experience & enjoy the grand live cultural festival, captured forever for viewing on your computer, laptop, or mobile device!

All the great performances are exclusively created and produced for this virtual Diwali festival. Grand lineup of performances by local and International artists from India. Most of the performances by local artists are recorded at McCaw Hall, Seattle Center.

When and where:

This virtual festival will be online on October 17th, Saturday from 12 noon on several platforms including this site:

http://www.seattlecenter.com/events/featured-events/festal/diwali-lights-of-india

http://www.seattlecenter.com/events/virtual-events/virtual-presentations

For more information please visit:

https://www.nwshare.org

Highlights:

Great Musical extravaganza:

1. Local Music organization “Temple of Music”

2. Ms. Lalitha Mohan, accomplished classical musician from Chennai, India

3. Acclaimed violinist Akshay Ganesh Rajagopalan (son and disciple of world-renowned violin Maestro Ganesh Rajagopalan) & friends from Chennai, India.

Classical dance performances by local dance schools:

1. Bharatanatyam by Nrityalaya

2. Odissi by Urvasi Dance Ensemble

3. Mohiniyattam by Mohini Dance School

4. Folk dances by the local dance school Chennai Beats dance academy

World’s oldest martial arts, kalaripayattu by Douglas Ridings

Visual arts gallery showcasing madhubani paintings by Deepti Designs

Mixing of spices by Harry Terhanian from Northwest Share,

Cooking demo: making Diwali sweet by Meghna Avnish Patel from Itiffin4U

Diwali fireworks

Enjoy this grand cultural festival showcasing the beautiful art and culture of India, with your family and friends, from the comfort of your home.

Happy Diwali to everyone! Let this festival of lights bring happiness, health, prosperity and peace to everyone.
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Message from Latha Sambamurti, Producer & Director, Diwali: Lights of India

Happy Diwali! Welcome to the Virtual Diwali: Lights of India festival! This grand festival is organized by Northwest Share under the Festál umbrella of arts and culture festivals organized by Seattle Center. This 8th successful year of the Diwali festival, which normally occurs at Seattle Center, is brought for you this year as a “special” digital edition owing to the Covid-19 crisis.

It will be live-streamed on the website and Facebook page of Northwest Share, and as well on other websites and social media pages of the state, kingcounty government’s organizations and other non profit arts and cultural organizations on October 17th, Saturday from noon till 3.30 pm.

The beautiful culture of Incredible India is showcased in this festival through a variety of performances by local and international artists from India. We bring you classical music, semi-classical music, classical dances, folk dances, kalaripayattu: the world’s oldest martial arts, a visual arts gallery showcasing madhubani paintings, cooking demo showing the making of a creative Diwali sweet, and a demonstration of mixing of Indian spices.

we are honored to invite you to our grand Diwali: Lights of India festival in Seattle, Washington state, USA in partnership with Festal , Seattle Center, City of Seattle. It is a part of festal who celebrates 24 cultural festivals showcasing 150 plus cultures all around the world for many years. All these festivals are free for the public and celebrated throughout the year. Northwest share is honored to be a part of Festal celebrating Diwali, showcasing the Arts,culture tradition and heritage of Incredible India. More information about our festival given below:

For more information about the Diwali: Lights of India festival. please visit
http://www.seattlecenter.com/festal. Light up your autumn with the finest Indian arts, culture and cuisine. The celebration of Diwali: Lights of India is on Saturday October 17th, from noon till 3.30 pm.

The festival features special performances by high-caliber artists from India. We present south Indian classical music in contemporary style by Akshay Ganesh (son and disciple of the world-renowned violin Maestro Ganesh Rajagopalan) and friends, and semi-classical music by classical musician Lalitha Mohan from Chennai, taking you on a cultural and heritage tour around India.

Diwali: Lights of India is usually presented as a free indoor event in the Armory at Seattle Center, and attended by thousands of people. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience the beauty and artistry of India! This year we are celebrating it online, and making it available digitally throughout the globe.

Northwest share is a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization based in Seattle and founded in 2000. It promotes arts, culture, tradition, heritage, education, health and humanities. Northwest Share organizes many arts and cultural festivals all around Washington state in partnerships with the City of Redmond, One Redmond foundation, City of Bellevue, City of Issaquah, Festal, Seattle center, Washington State Parks, and Northwest Folklife. It also runs a free vegetarian food truck and distributes free food to needy people. For more information please visit our website: www.nwshare.org.

Happy Diwali!

Latha Sambamurti
Producer & Director, Diwali: Lights of India
Festàl, Seattle Center
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Message from the president of Northwest Share:

Northwest Share (NW Share) is actively working during this period of pandemic to serve the greater public by streaming our annual Lights of India (Diwali festival) on October 17 as part of the Seattle Center’s Festal program of cultural festivals. This year’s presentations feature all unique, new performances recorded in Seattle and INDIA.

NW Share also serves the Seattle community by distributing nutritious hot meals from its free Food Truck featuring vegetarian preparations using ingredients from its organic farm in Redmond. The farm is open on weekends for visitors who want to learn techniques of no dig, no plow permaculture growing.  There are also friendly pure bred Indian cows (Gujurati Gyr), miniature goats and miniature Zebu Indian cows. You will have a fun and inspiring experience petting the animals and learning about alternative farming techniques, identifying the 35 plus wild medicinal and eatable plants on an herb walk on the ten acres. All this is done with social distancing and entertaining descriptions of the herbs and vegetables with references to Redmond’s historical agricultural past. The first settlers came to Redmond in 1870. The farm in Redmond was part of a homestead started in 1880.

The Lights of India Festal program celebrates Diwali celebration of India with its dance, song, music, colorful costumes, cuisine and demonstration of traditional arts and crafts. This is all possible to present due to the dedicated staff of the Seattle Center. We want to thank Robert Nellams, the director of the Seattle Center, and his amazing cadre of dedicated staff who present at least 24 different cultural programs under festal every year. The Seattle Center is a unique venue for family fun that provides an opportunity for the many cultures to show case their unique traditions. It is instrumental for creating the multicultural harmony and respect which unites the majority of the Seattle area residents.

I wish everyone a Happy Diwali !