Flushing Town Hall Celebrates Diwali with Indian Wedding

On Sunday, November 1, from noon to 4 PM, Flushing Town Hall will celebrate its popular 12th annual Diwali Festival: The Indian Wedding, filling the historic Queens venue with the sights, sounds, and flavors of India.

Audiences of all ages, with children attending for free, can celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Light, with an afternoon of interactive workshops exploring Indian foods, visual arts, and movement, and a stunning Indian wedding dance drama featuring Abha B. Roy and Srijan Dance Company.

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On stage at 2:15 PM, Abha B. Roy and her Srijan Dance Company will reenact cultural wedding customs such as henna painting the bride, haldi (placing turmeric on the bride and groom), dances from different regions of India, marriage ceremonies, and the farewell to the bride. Audiences will welcome the bridal party with the tassa drumming procession and feel as if they are wedding guests.

Before the show starts, families can get in on the action by learning Indian classical and folk dance steps, trying block printing with Dr. Alka Mukerji, and creating colorful rangoli art with Josh Roychowdhury. Guests can also get beautiful henna designs by Bella Beauty, try Hindi calligraphy by Jasbir Bhatia, and take part in other activities that bring Indian culture and Diwali traditions to life. Queens Curry Kitchen will sell Indian food and drinks throughout the afternoon, and Chef Nupur will demonstrate how to cook traditional vegetarian Indian dishes.

"Our theme for this year's Diwali Festival is the Indian Wedding, offering audiences a festive window into one of India's most cherished cultural traditions," says Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. "The festival reflects our year-round commitment to presenting global arts and creating meaningful cultural experiences for the diverse audiences of Queens and the greater New York City area. We are deeply grateful to the Guru Krupa Foundation for its longtime support of this beloved program and the communities we serve."

Diwali, or Deepavali, takes its name from the Sanskrit phrase meaning "row of lights." The holiday is a time of solidarity and renewal, when the soft glow of diyas (traditional oil-wick lamps) illuminates homes and streets, symbolizing the triumph of light over the darkness of ignorance and suffering. Diwali traces its roots to an ancient harvest festival celebrating the fertility of the earth and the prosperity of a new harvest. While the holiday holds deep significance in Hinduism, it is celebrated across India by people of different religious backgrounds as a time of renewal and growth. Since 2023, Diwali has been recognized as a New York City public school holiday. This year, South Asian communities around the world will celebrate Diwali on Sunday, November 8.

"Indian weddings are known for their beautiful colors, lively music, dance, and sense of celebration, and we want families to experience some of that excitement for themselves," says Gabrielle M. Hamilton, Director of Education and Public Programs at Flushing Town Hall. "Our master teaching artists will invite visitors to get involved through hands-on Indian dance and art workshops. It's a wonderful opportunity for children and adults alike to participate, discover something new, and experience Diwali through the arts."

Performers and presenters include:

• Abha B. Roy, the artistic director of Srijan Dance Center and master teaching artist, has led the Flushing Town Hall Annual Diwali Festival since its beginnings. A master of Kathak dance, she studied under the guidance of the late great Guru Kundan Lal Gangani and attained professional precision under the training of Pt. Durgalal when she completed her specialization in Kathak Kendra, New Delhi. She represented the Indian Council of Cultural Relations and has taught and performed in South America, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. She has also performed throughout Europe and venues such as Lincoln Center, Flushing Town Hall, Queens Museum, NYC Cultural Festival, and many more.

• Nupur Arora, owner of Queens Curry Kitchen. Fashion designer-turned chef, Nupur started Queens Curry Kitchen as a way to explore her creative endeavors with food and a diverse palette. What started as a hobby soon became hugely popular amongst Indian students of a prestigious New York university who loved her home-style food that reminded them of food made by their moms. Today Chef Nupur is the author of a book, "The Vegan Indian Home," with many others in the works, but continues to share her flavors with her food through catering and events, and weekly meal delivery service, all from her Queens Curry Kitchen.

• Alka Mukerji, Ph.D., Professor, Studio Art Department, and Director, Berger & Brownson Art Gallery at Manhattanville University. At the heart of her practice is a vision for a more compassionate world. She sees her canvases as living walls—spaces where cultures, stories, and memories meet; where pain and joy coexist; where hope remains. She wants her work to speak not only to where she has been but also to where we, as people, might go—a world of coexistence, social justice, and peace.

The event runs from 12:00 to 4:00 PM at Flushing Town Hall, located at 137-35 Northern Blvd. Flushing, Queens. Tickets—$20 for adults/$15 for member adults, and all children are FREE—are available at https://www.flushingtownhall.org/show-details/diwali-festival-the-indian-wedding

For those who want to explore more Indian music and dance traditions, Flushing Town Hall will present GLOBAL MASHUP: Bollywood Meets Hollywood on Saturday, November 14. The concert will bring together musicians from two iconic musical traditions, celebrating everything from Hollywood's golden-age musicals and pop anthems to Bollywood's infectious rhythms and colorful dance numbers. The evening begins with a dance lesson at 7 PM, followed by individual performances from each band before they join forces for a one-of-a-kind musical mashup finale. Audiences are encouraged to get up and dance!

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.flushingtownhall.org.