next photo

prev photo

WASHINGTON -- The 2010 Smithsonian Folklife Festival opened to a scorching start as talented artistes of our area performed the popular Bhangra and Giddha dances of Punjab with such gusto as to amaze a largely American audience.  These Indian dances were the first in a series of evening concerts which will be held outdoors on the scenic National Mall as part of Smithsonian’s annual festival which runs from June 24 - 28, and July 1 - 5.

  The mercury level soared, both literally and figuratively, to a whopping 100 degrees, shattering the all-time high record.  The sweltering heat did nothing to deter crowds; people packed the Asian Fusions tent, pitched amidst the sprawling museums of the renowned Smithsonian Institution.

  On stage, scores of performers dressed in the brightest hues performed one fast-paced dance after another to the beat of the `dhol’ (drum).  Men clad in colorful turbans and dhoti-kurtas performed the Bhangra, adeptly matched by women dressed in bright salwaar suits performing the Giddha.  It was a riot of color and energy, the likes of which had perhaps never been seen on the National Mall in DC.

  The entire presentation was expertly coordinated by Dr. Rajwant Singh, the highly respected Chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) and Executive Director of the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, Mr. Ravi Singh, and Mr. Phil Tajitsu Nash, Curator of the Smithsonian Institution’s Folklife Festival.

  The aim was to raise awareness of Sikhs, their culture and heritage.  Indian-Americans of the Sikh faith have faced severe backlash in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

  At the Festival, Dr. Rajwant Singh and Ravi Singh took care to explain the ethnicity of Sikhs who they underscored are not Arabs or Muslims, but an integral part and parcel of democratic and secular India, hailing from the prosperous state of Punjab.

  There were several references to the Sikh custom of wearing the Turban as a mark of respect.  Ravi Singh told the audience that if you come across a man wearing a turban in America, he is a Sikh from India.

  Dr. Rajwant Singh stressed that Sikhs believe in “Ek Omkar” (God is One) and respect all faiths.

  It is a good sign that dances from Punjab are soaring in popularity across America.  Today, scores of students in colleges and universities are dancing to the beat of bhangra!