KC Festival: maximum INDIA
The Kennedy Center celebrates the arts and artists of India
Dance, Music, Asia, World Cultures, India

Article: Ragamala Dance
Learn about traditional Indian Bharatanatyam dance from the Ragamala Dance company
India, Dance, Music, World Cultures

Collection: Stories & Folktales
A mouse named Frederick; a fish named Swimmy; and elephant named Babar, and a lion who would be king. Watch the stories of these characters, told through puppetry. Then learn the stories of Cinderella, as well as American legends Paul Bunyan, John Henry and Pecos Bill.
Africa, Animals, Folklore, China, India, Japan, Native America, Nature, World Cultures

Collection: World Music Resources
Explore the rich tapestry created by musicians around the world -- from the music of the Arab World and Ancient Greece, to the diverse cultural sounds of China, to the songs that helped spur the Mexican Revolution.
Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Folklore, Greece, India, Japan, Music, Native America, World Cultures, Latin America

Collection: Asia
Fish painting, lion dances, larger-than-life calligraphy and a tornado of fire... experience the vibrant diversity of the arts across Asia.
Asia, China, India, Japan, Dance, Folklore, Music, Theater, Visual Arts, World Cultures

Collection: Ancient Empires
From the music, theater, and mythology of Ancient Greece, to traditional music of Chinese and Arab cultures, to the lore of Arthurian England, discover past and present civilizations through their arts.
Asia, China, Folklore, Geography, Greece, History, India, Literature

Collection: World Cultures Resources
From the weather patterns of the Kapiti plain to the history of the Mexican corrido, travel across the globe to explore world cultures and the art they produce
Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Folklore, Geography, Greece, History, India, Japan, Language, Native America, World Cultures

Article: Traveling Abroad: Our Family's Trip to India
Experience one family's trip to India, and learn a few tips for the next time your family travels to an exotic land
India, Family, Language, World Cultures

Take Five: Cultural Connections
Enliven and enrich your cultural heritage month observances through the arts
Music, Dance, Theater, Poetry, Literature, Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Native America, World Cultures, India

Article: Rhythm and Raga
Learn how to incorporate and teach Indian music in your classroom
India, Musical Instruments, Music, World Cultures

Audio Series: Maximum India: The Music of India
The music of India is as diverse as its many cultures. India has over a billion people and hundreds of dialects and languages spread across the seventh largest country in the world, but there is still an undeniable “sound” that makes Indian music unmistakable. This 3-part audio series, hosted by PBS journalist Hari Sreenivasan, explores different aspects of Indian music: Indian musical instruments; the styles of music across India; and what makes Indian music unique—and where it is going
Geography, History, Musical Instruments, Music, World Cultures, India

Arts Quotes: Rudyard Kipling
"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
Literature, Poetry, India

Arts Quotes: Abhinavagupta
"Drama is like a dream, it is not real, but it is really felt."
Theater, India

Arts Quotes: A.K. Coomaraswamy
"The artist is not a special kind of man, but every man is a special kind of artist."
India, Young Artists, World Cultures

Arts Days: May 03, 1913: Hooray for Bollywood
“Bollywood” is a catchy term for the Hindi-language film industry featuring big dance numbers, lots of emotion, and many attractive actors. The nickname is a play on the words “Hollywood” and “Bombay,” a city in India now known as Mumbai, where most filming takes place.

When Raja Harishchandra premiered on this day, crowds flocked to see the film about an Indian king who sacrifices his kingdom and family in honor of a wise man named Vishvamitra. The silent movie was such a smash that more copies had to be printed. Overnight, the Bollywood phenomenon was born.

Today’s Bollywood movies typically run for two or three hours; are filled with song and dance; tell interwoven stories about boys and girls falling in love; and almost always have a happy ending. Many have become hits around the world. Outside of India, the highest-grossing Bollywood film to date has been Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, filmed in New York City, of all places.

2700 F St.: Ragamala Dance Company
Drawing from the classical Indian dance form Bharatanatyam, the Ragamala Dance Company’s work provides a bridge between ancient and modern cultures. In Written in Water, one of the company’s newest productions, the childhood game Snakes & Ladders—a second-century Indian board game—sets the stage for the emotional journey that unfolds when people search for truth while desperately attempting to avoid human failing. With the Sufi poem “The Conference of Birds” as a framework, rich choreography is paired with original music by Iraqi American jazz artist Amir ElSaffar and Carnatic composer Prema Ramamurthy and performed live by ElSaffar and an ensemble. Projections by Chennai-based cartoonist Keshav and Minneapolis artist Nathan Christopher draw you even further into this mesmerizing world.
India, Dance, Choreographers, World Cultures

Video: Sreevidhya Chandramouli
A faculty member at the University of Oregon at Eugene, Sreevidhya Chandramouli plays the vina (plucked Indian lute) in the Karaikudi tradition, combining voice and vina in her performances.
Music, World Cultures, Asia, India