Since the 1970s school art and music programs across the United States have been drastically cut and the recent downturn in the economy has once again forced the schools to make further cuts in the art and music curriculum.
Induz, a Bay Area non-profit, is collectively working towards addressing this problem. Induz provides free art education for orphan children in India and at 14 low-income schools across San Francisco Bay Area. Induz organizes regular events in the Bay Area to raise funds for these projects.
The aim is to connect people and cultures through the magic of art. “Art is immensely important yet it seems to constantly take a backseat in today’s society” said Ray Mitra, founder of Induz. ”That needs to change. When people learn about the different forms of art from different cultures; when they are exposed to different communities and really see the beauty and benefit of what these cultures have to offer, lives change.”
Induz has organized a super exciting “Induz Dandiya” fundraiser evening on October 6th 2012 at Centerville Junior High School in Fremont, to raise funds for projects in both the United States and India. This “Dandiya” event is to celebrate the “Navratri” (“Nav’=night and “ratri”=nights) festival of 9 nights where, as per the Hindu mythology is believed that “Maa Durga/Ambe” visits the earth destroy the evil and bring peace, love and harmony to people on earth!
This fundraiser event will enable Induz to raise funds to reach out and offer the Apollo project to more low income schools in Bay Area, and also continue to support the Tulika project for the under privileged children in the orphanages in India. Please visit http://www.induz.org/ for more details on these projects.
Induz Dadiya was a sold out event last year, and this year features dandiya with a spectacular laser lights display! The very popular and well-known Bay Area artist, Dimple Patel and Troupe, will be the DJ for the Dandiya/Garba event.
“Dandiya” is a traditional folk dance of India from Gujarat state. It is played with 2 sticks and is very gracious and energetic dance, which has its own form of style and art to it. Ray Mitra said, “Art – all art, be it music, dance, painting or any other form – is a medium for bringing diverse cultures and communities together. That’s our vision. We see the point of connection as being Where Art Meets Heart. If we can accomplish that for our children then the world of their future will be a peaceful and happy place.”
Tickets for Induz Dandiya can be bought online from sulekha.com/Induz or by contacting Ray Mitra at (510) 875-5006 or Sanjay Saxena at (510) 449-8530. Ticket prices are $12 for Adults and $7 for children up to 10 years old. Children under 5 are free.
About Induz
Induz is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization driven by Silicon Valley professionals with a
passion to promote art and culture across the globe through its mission Where Art Meets Heart
(WAMH). WAMH aims to (1) Nurture artistic talents by exposing individuals to the world of art
and culture (2) Promote and encourage the awareness and aptitude toward art and culture in
children, in particular the underprivileged, by setting up programs through which they can
learn various forms of art, such as visual art, music, and dance (3) Use art as a medium to
bring diverse communities and cultures together and encourage volunteerism and active
participation
I’ve been to Sevathons 1 and 2 and to my pleasant surprise, they’ve been getting bigger and better every year. This is the 4th year of Sevathon and if you’re thinking about participating, get off the fence and register – it’s a great way to spend a Sunday morning. The weather is usually perfect, and if running through the Baylands trails is not your thing, bring a friend or two along and join the motley crew of walkers of all ages, sizes, and dispositions – from determined striders to aunties in saris and tennis shoes with pallus over their heads. Kids dart in and around the grown-ups and it feels like a big moving party, with bananas and bottled water thrown in for good measure. This year there’s free food too, courtesy Peacock Restaurant!
was conceived as an event to bring together and showcase the many Bay Area non-profits that serve both local and international communities. The Sevathon organizers have broken their previous record and registered a whopping 61 non-profits this year, so expect a total carnival atmosphere with all the tents fluttering in the breeze. There’s kite flying, face painting, and live music. Each organization usually sets up something attractive for the kids to do, so it’s great fun to bring the whole family along and make a morning out of it. And you’ll be doing some good too!
Youth to make a positive impact on society. Formed in 2010, this youth chapter is run by youth leaders under the guidance of their parents and Vibha mentors. We plan various fundraising and awareness events to raise money and create empathy for the under-privileged children in India.
And every year, the organizing team comes up with a different theme which is then communicated informally to bay area dancers, who then come forward with pieces of their own or learnt from gurus that they’d like to present- Inspiration it seems, is Nirantara (uninterrupted) when it comes to the Lord of dance. Describing this year’s theme, the event flyer says, “This year, we honor Lord Shiva as the Gracious Guru who brought the allied disciplines of yoga, karana, and natya to mankind. We glorify Him as the Supreme Yogi, Yogeshwara and the Supreme Dancer, Nataraja. In both yoga and dance, the practitioner seeks to go beyond the physicality of the practice and surrender to the inner yearning for union with the Divine.”
Water, No Ice 