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CHICAGO
More than 175 guests gathered to celebrate the kick-off of the fifth annual Eye on India (EoI) here at Bridgeport Arts Center, May 28. This exclusive evening preview of the monthlong festival, featured music, fashion, food and more. Interim Dean, School of Fine and Performing Arts, Columbia College Chicago (CCC), John Green was honored as an outstanding ambassador of Indo-American cultural exchange. The fundraiser’s proceeds of over $20,000 will support EoI’s future collaborations.
“In the past five years we have forged strong partnerships with 50 leading civic, cultural, social and educational institutions in Chicago. And from our home base in Chicago, we have expanded to annual festivals in Boston, San Francisco and Seattle. Today, we are the leading platform for cultural exchange between India and the U.S.,” said EoI Founder and President Anuradha Behari. “What has sustained the festival is the joy of discovering India right here in Chicago through local connections. Sharing our stories and journeys with India as a backdrop has brought us all together.”
Teamwork Arts founder and managing director Sanjoy Roy, who produces Jaipur Festival, announced the latter will be brought to Boulder, Colorado, this September. He thanked the Consul General in Chicago, whose address was read out by O.P. Meena, for supporting Eye on India here.
Local Carnatic veena artiste and teacher Saraswathi Ranganathan, who experiments with local representatives of western, flamenco, Turkish, Afro, Blues, jazz and other genres, rapidly transitioned from Vedic chant, through Vande Mataram in rag Des to passages from Thyagraja’s “Manavyaala Kim.”
Accompanied on guitar by Dave Hiltebrand, Chicago Children’s Choir alumnus Phillip Armstrong sang “We are the World” and “Lean on Me.”
Third in Zee TV’s SaReGaMaPa Li’l Champs North America competition 2015 (Indian youth equivalent of “American Idol”) Preetish Chakraborty, 11, re-rendered his delivery of “Ek Haseena Thi” (“There was this Beauty”).
“Zero Waste Sari Project” is a fashion collaboration between EoI and CCC. Nine of the strongest pieces from 33 student participants were modeled. Using both locally and internationally donated fabrics, the students were required to use all the yardage given. Designs were judged by Chicago native and luxury womenswear and accessories designer Azeeza Khan. The EoI point people are fashion director Shruti Kirti, designer in residence at Macy’s Chicago Fashion Incubator, and Behari.
The Entertaining Company featured a mouth-watering Goa Beach Buffet of vegetarian and nonvegetarian gourmet selections including Indian spring rolls with tamarind chutney and lime pickle, watercress tea sandwiches, fish tacos and chicken tikka served from a tava. Dessert was mango and pistachio kulfi and watermelon cups with cilantro crème fraiche.
The 2015 Eye on India Festival runs May 28 through June 28 at over a dozen locations across the city. Many events feature conversations with the artists and local authorities on Indian art, providing opportunities for the exchange of ideas and cultural understanding.
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