Free Divali Celebration at the Asian Art Museum

The Festival of Lights launches The Rama Epic: Hero, Heroine, Ally, Foe with performances, storytelling, art projects, henna and fun. Watch an awe-inspiring Bharatanatyam performance, make a diya lamp, and hear about the abduction of Sita as told by a museum storyteller.

Divali “Festival of Lights” Celebration
Sunday, October 23, 2016 | 10:30 am to 4 pm
Asian Art Museum
FREE

Special Event Schedule:

• stART tour for Kids
  10:30 AM–11 AM
  Meet at the information desk
  Asian Art Museum storytellers share myths and folktales from across South and South East Asia while looking at art in the galleries. Recommended for families with children ages 3–6.
• New Carnatic Music
  11–1 PM
  Outside on the front steps
  Witness a contemporary take on the South Indian tradition of pandal, or open-air concert. Singer and musician Gautam Tejas Ganeshan will lead the performance alongside a classical ensemble of tambura, mridangam, and more.
• Art-Making Activities
  11 AM–4 PM
  North Court
  Celebrate Divali by trying a variety of hands-on art making including diya lamps, Divali greeting cards, a community rangoli, and more! Art activities are led by the museum’s Art Speak teen interns, in partnership with the India Community Center and San Francisco Brahma Kumaris.
• Feature Performance: Ramayana Dance
  12–1 PM and 2–3 PM
  Samsung Hall
  Discover the Ramayana through dance! Dancer Navia Natarajan will depict scenes from the epic and its four main characters (Rama, Sita, Hanuman and Ravana), using the Indian classical dance style of Bharatanatyam.
• Mehndi (Henna Tattooing)
  12–4 PM
  Loggia
  Discover the art of mehndi! Limited spaces available, sign-up day of at the Mehndi Station. First come, first served.
• Storytelling for Families
  1 PM–1:45 PM
  Meet at the information desk
  Asian Art Museum storytellers bring the Rama epic to life in a tour of the exhibition The Rama Epic: Hero, Heroine, Ally, Foe. Recommended for families with children of all ages.
• Chai Tasting
  1–4 PM
  South Court
  Try a delicious cup of chai for free courtesy of The Chai Cart, a local chai vendor. Soy option available, supplies are limited. First come, first served.
• Indian Classical Singing Workshop
  3:30 – 4:30 PM
  Samsung Hall
  Singer Gautam Tejas Ganeshan will lead an interactive workshop exploring elements of Indian classical singing. No prior experience or language knowledge is necessary.