Open invitation to India’s culture

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This article was published 06/02/2024 (590 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new venue, a renowned dance academy performing several times a day and delicious food will be waiting for the crowds expected at the India pavilion this weekend, says the pavilion’s general manager, Gautam Srivastava.

The Imperial Ballroom at the Victoria Inn will be transformed into India as one of six pavilions featured in this year’s Westman Multicultural Festival, happening at venues throughout the Wheat City on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Other countries showcasing their cultures are Mexico, Ukraine, Philippines, Mauritius and El Salvador.

As Srivastava makes last-minute calls, he said he has confirmed all the dancers and food for the two-day India showcase, set for Friday and Saturday. A few of the dishes will be made locally at a new downtown Brandon restaurant called the Royal Fork, while other selections will be sent from Winnipeg.

The food menu includes butter chicken, chickpea curry and naan bread.

Some people will be familiar with one of the appetizers that will be offered, the samosa, which Srivastava said will have its own flavour and appeal, coming from a traditional Indian restaurant.

“I recommend trying one of our happy samosa plates that are going to come in two varieties: one with chutney dipping sauces and the other with a chickpea dish on the side. So, if you’re hesitant about trying something, that one is nice,” said Srivastava, who is a professor of mathematics and computer science at Brandon University.

One of his favourite desserts is called gulab jamun, which is a deep-fried dough ball immersed in “sweet, sweet syrup” that has a hint of Indian spices in it. There is an authentic and traditional ingredient in the syrup that gives it that delicate rose flavour.

“Actually, the first word there, gulab, is our word for rose, because the flavour in the syrup is rose water. And so, it’s got this hint of flower in it, and it’s quite delicious. We actually use rose essence in a lot of our sweet dishes,” said Srivastava.

This will be the fourth year for the India pavilion at the multicultural festival. It was off to a “great start” in 2018, 2019, and 2020, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the entire event went dark for three years.

That’s why, Srivastava said, they’re pulling out all the stops this year, including their new location in the Victoria Inn and scheduling the entertainment to keep audiences interested and engaged.

“Every hour the pavilion is open there will be a 40- to 45-minute show with something new added to every performance. We rotate to make it easier for people to go to other countries. Most will work under a rotating schedule, and sometimes it changes perfectly with other pavilions,” said Srivastava.

One of the folk dances that audiences will see is called the gidda, from the Punjab region. Women dance in a ring, while carrying bowls or baskets, coming together, and interacting with each other while going about their daily routine.

New this year will be entertainment from Gujarat, a province in India, which has a large population now living in Brandon, Srivastava said.

That region is famous for a dance called the garba, with local women and girls performing it both days and evenings.

But one day only — Saturday — will feature performances by an Indian dance academy from Winnipeg.

“We see academies in different parts of Canada doing this with other cultures. And it’s how we can preserve our culture while not living in our home country, and making sure the next generation has the skills necessary to preserve it, too,” Srivastava said.

There were a few growing pains coming back from the pandemic, trying to re-establish connections and getting the cultural groups organized again, added Srivastava, who is also on Westman Multicultural Festival’s executive and serves as secretary.

But, he added, there is a buzz of excitement in the community when people talk about the overall event, which is an opportunity for many cultures to come together and not be shy about asking performers or pavilion hosts questions about the food, culture or the way they dress.

“That’s what this is for, to ask questions. It creates that back-and-forth dialogue, and once you do that, it opens up the opportunity for them to ask you questions about Canada.

“It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

For more information about the Westman Multicultural Festival, visit https://gotothepavilions.com

The Brandon Sun is featuring each pavilion in the Westman Multicultural Festival in stories leading up to the Feb. 8-10 event.

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

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