Still dancing after all these years: India Home celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi at Rubin Museum

Ganesh Chaturti is a special festival in India dedicated to Ganesha- the beloved Elephant headed god. Hindus all over the world worship the deity as the lord of beginnings and the remover of obstacles. The lovely ladies of IndiaHome Inc. presented a vibrant program of dance, music and ritual at the Rubin Museum’s Himalayan Heritage Meet-Up earlier this month. Our seniors, some of whom were in their 80’s, performed the vigorous Ras Garba, a folk-dance from the Indian state of Gujarat. To the delight of the audience at the Rubin, our brightly-dressed dancers swirled to the beats of the traditional dhol in synchronized steps, rhythmically striking their colorful sticks together.

Photo: Chotalal Mehta

Earlier in the evening, our seniors demonstrated a puja and aarti to Lord Ganesh. There was also a talk (held at Rubin’s own 11th century Ganesha statue) that explained the spiritual significance behind the unique iconography that characterizes Lord Ganesh. For instance, did you know that Lord Ganesh’s vehicle of choice, the rat, symbolizes human desire and greed?

Photo: Ronald Schvartzman for the Rubin Museum

The Rubin Museum featured our program prominently on their blog: 

“It was a warm, colorful, and festive event for all, and the Rubin community looks forward to welcoming the lovely ladies of India Home, Inc., back to the Museum!”