Left: Folio from a Manuscript of Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur's Siddantha-sara, Siddantha-bodha, and Aporaksha-siddantha (detail), 1669. India. Deccan, Aurangabad. Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper. Private Collection, London. Right: Nritya Saagaram Dance Academy of New York dancers; Satya Pradeep, director. Photograph by Don Pollard
«One of the things I love most about the Met is that our diverse collection allows us to take a journey around the world without ever leaving the building. I am particularly excited about our next festival on May 17, Senses of Springtime: Celebrate India!, which will give visitors the opportunity to explore a part of the world that I have always wanted to visit—India and Southeast Asia.»
Festivals offer an opportunity to work with community organizations and departments across the Museum to celebrate our collection through music, dance, visual arts, and more. The Education Department, Multicultural Audience Development Initiative, Indo-American Arts Council, and Cool Culture have worked together to create an exciting lineup of events for May 17. We invite you to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the Islamic world and India!
Visitors will get the chance to participate in a Bollywood dance workshop with the Institute of Bollywood Dance and Film, experience the royal court dances in transformed gallery spaces, and listen to traditional music by sitarist Neel Mugai and tabla master Shivalik Ghoshal.
You can take inspiration from the special exhibition Sultans of Deccan India, 1500–1700: Opulence and Fantasy to adorn yourself with colorful gems, learn how to drape a sari or dhoti, create your own tiny painting, or find out about the art of henna. Others may want to explore 3D architecture with the Children's Museum of Manhattan or discover the rainbow of spices used in Indian cooking with Iron Chef Jehangir Mehta and his staff.
All performances and activities—designed for visitors of all ages—are free with Museum admission. As always, children under 12 enjoy free admission when accompanied by an adult.
I'm looking forward to Senses of Springtime: Celebrate India! and hope to see you there on Sunday, May 17!
See the full schedule of events.
Senses of Springtime: Celebrate India! is made possible by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Peter Louis and Chandru Ramchandani, the Great Circle Foundation, and the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation. It is presented by the Museum's Multicultural Audience Development Initiative and the Education Department in consultation with Cool Culture.
The education programs are made possible by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, and the Deccan Heritage Foundation.