Gualala Arts Global Harmony Series Encouraging global harmony by sharing cultures through the arts Presents: Diwali: Festival of Lights

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Friday, November 5, 2010 Gualala Arts Center 5:30 p.m. Offering 6:00 p.m. Appetizers & Dance Performance 7:00 p.m. Dinner 8:00 p.m. Dessert & Fashion Show 9:00 p.m. Dandia Ras (open dance)

Dance Performer: Jyoti Rout Jyoti Kala Mandir (mandir is a Hindi word for temple) was founded in 1993 by noted performer and choreographer Jyoti Rout in an effort to promote Odissi through classes and performances in the Bay Area and beyond. JKM's mission is to maintain the spiritual essence of Odissi, originally a temple dance, in its transition to the stage. To that end, Jyoti Rout encourages her students to view their dance as an offering to the divine. Jyoti Rout is still actively performing throughout the United States, India and internationally.

As part of the Gualala Arts Global Harmony Series, there will be a Diwali: Festival of Lights at Gualala Arts Center on Friday, November 5, 2010.

Doors open at 5:30 and appetizers and a dance performance will be at 6:00 p.m., traditional dinner buffet at 7:00 p.m. with dessert and the fashion show at 8:00 p.m. At 9:00 p.m. there will be a dandia ras (open dance.)

Diwali is an important festival in Hinduism, celebrated with great enthusiasm and happiness in India. The festival is celebrated for five continuous days, where the third day is celebrated as the main Diwali festival or 'Festival of Lights.'

On this auspicious day, people light up diyas and candles all around their house. Diya can be defined as a small earthen lamp that is specially lit on Diwali for pujan and decoration purposes. A cotton wick is used in diyas, and oil or ghee serves as the burning fuel. It is basically a symbol of the victory of good over evil, brightness over darkness, and truth over falsity.

A dance troupe will perform Laxmi Puja in the evening and seek divine blessings of Goddess of Wealth along with a fashion show of saris. Saris are woven with one plain end (the end that is concealed inside the wrap), two long decorative borders running the length of the sari, and a one to three foot section at the other end which continues and elaborates the length-wise decoration. This end is called the pallu; it is the part thrown over the shoulder in the nivi style of draping.

A vegetarian dinner is planned using the spices, herbs and vegetables used in Indian cuisine.

Tickets are $35 advance and $5 more day of event, if available. For advance purchase, go to Brown Paper Tickets or call them at 800-838-3006. To purchase in person, visit the Gualala Arts Center or Dolphin Gallery in Gualala.

Daniel Pearl World Music Days
Harmony for Humanity

Diwali: Festival of Lights

Gualala Arts Center
November, 2010

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The Gualala Arts Center, located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, CA,
is open weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and weekends from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Please call (707) 884-1138 for more information, or email info@gualalaarts.org.

Serving the coastal communities of northern Sonoma & southern Mendocino Counties.