By Khalida Sarwari
Looking for an opportunity to spend an evening dancing to Indian folk music? The Saratoga Hindu Temple and Community Center’s Dandia event returns to West Valley College’s large gym on Oct. 17.
The seventh annual program offers an evening of cultural music and food, according to Seema Kumar, head of the Saratoga Dandia organizing committee. This is the perfect opportunity to break out the saris (an outfit consisting of long Indian skirts, blouse and long scarf) and kurtas (long, loose shirt paired with loose-fitting pants).
Backed by a band, singer Dimple Patel will perform traditional music, playing tunes for dandia as well as garba, another type of dance that consists of hand and foot movements.
Attendees will have a chance to get off their feet in a photo booth while snapping a keepsake picture to take home. There will be vendor booths selling clothes, jewelry and gifts. Catered Indian food and drinks consisting of vegetarian fare and non-alcoholic drinks will be served at the event. And this year for the first time there will be a stall selling paan, a leaf-shaped delicacy that’s used as a mouth sweetener and is believed to aid in digestion.
About 1,200 people attended Dandia last year, and organizers raised more than $20,000 in proceeds, according to Kumar. Once again, the funds will be used to support programs at the Saratoga Community Center, all of which are offered for free to the community and take place on Sunday afternoons.
“These classes include yoga, meditation, Hindi language classes, pranic healing, Balagokulum and others that our community members are interested in,” said Kumar.
Dandia will be held Oct. 17 from 7 to 11:45 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the door. For more information, visit saratogadandia.org.
Link: Dandia offers an evening of cultural music, food at West Valley College
