JAN. 14: MAKAR SANKRANT
JAN. 26: INDIA REPUBLIC DAY
Events
TAMPA/ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATERJAN. 19: ICC SENIORS 5TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER; 7 to 9:30 p.m.; India Cultural Center, 5511 Lynn Road, Tampa; free dinner and entertainment; no minimum age requirement; for information or ride, call John Adhia at (813) 784-6930 or Ram Jakhotia at (813) 962-4172 or (813) 863-3048.
JAN. 25-29: RAMAYAN KATHA BY PANDIT RAJIN BALGOBIND; India Cultural Center, 5511 Lynn Road, Tampa; bhajans from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., followed by discourse, then dinner at 9; arranged by Vishnu Mandir, Jain Temple, Hindu Temple of Florida, Sanatan Mandir, Hindu Religious Center and FIA; for more information, call (813) 264-4638, (813) 962-4172 or (727) 946-8144.
FEB. 5: BOOK DISCUSSION/SIGNING; by Monica Pradhan, author of “The Hindi-Bindi Club” (the book is a tale about meaningful but complex relationships between mothers and daughters, as well as the struggles that first-generation Indian-American children experience with their immigrant parents); presented by Pehchaan; 2 to 4 p.m.; registration begins at 1:30 p.m.; Jimmie B. Keel Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave., Tampa; free admission; to RSVP, call Manjusha Naik at (813) 842-8563, Vandana Shelkar At (813) 943-5288, or email [email protected]
FEB. 18-20: SECOND ANNUAL INDIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (IIFF) OF TAMPA BAY; Channelside Cinemas, Tampa; for details, call Francis Vayalumkal at (813) 719-0303, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.iifftampa.com
ORLANDO/OAKLAND/OCOEE
JAN. 20-23: PRAN PRATISHTA (MURTI STHAPANA) MAHOTSAV; Maa Durga Sri Sai Baba Temple, 11414 S. Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando; deities include Ganesh, Durga, Sri Sai Baba, Radha Krishna, Navgraha Laxmi, Balaji, Bhudevi Shiva and Hanuman; daily lunch at the temple at 12:30 p.m.; for details of each day’s event, call Mala Choksi at (321) 662-0605, or (407) 574-8044, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.durgasaitemple.org
GAINSVILLE
MARCH 19: INDIA FEST AND HEALTH FAIR; presented by the India Cultural & Education Center; health fair will be 9 a.m. to noon and the festival will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Santa Fe Community College, Gymnasium (Building V), 3000 N.W. 83rd St., Gainesville, FL 32606; $3 admission, kids younger than 5 years of age are free; Indian food, dance, art, music, jewelry, clothing, henna; for information, call (352) 378-7112, (352) 505-9106, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.icec-florida.org
FORT MYERS
SOUTH FLORIDA
JAN. 8: ANNUAL FUNDRAISING BANQUET; organized by the Association of Indians in American South Florida chapter; 7 p.m.; Hilton-Deerfield Beach, 100 Fairway Drive, Deerfield Beach; $75 per person for members; $90 per person for non-members; portion of the proceeds will benefit Ashraya, Ekal Vidyalaya and YATC; for information, call Hovi at (561) 703-1878, Maya at (561) 241-1746, Karan at (954) 492-8616, Uma at (954) 341-9346 or visit www.aiaflorida.org
JAN. 15: RHYTHM OF RAJASTHAN; musician/dance group from the western region of Rajasthan to perform; starts at 7 p.m.; Broward Center for the Performing Arts (Amaturo Theater), 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; organized by the Association of Performing Arts of India; tickets range from $25 to $60; for more information, call the center at (954) 462-0222 or visit www.browardcenter.org; also, call APAI at (954) 885-1466, visit www.apaiart.com or email [email protected]
FEB. 6: SIXTH ANNUAL HEALTH FAIR; organized by Indian Physicians of South Florida (IPOF); 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; South Florida Hindu Temple, 13010 W. Griffin Road, Southwest Ranches; several physicians available to answer questions; also screenings to be held; for more information, call Dr. Asha Gupta at (954) 234-5674, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.ipof.org