Sawan Mela celebrates South Asian culture and community


Men performing Bhangra, a North Indian folk dance.

Merlyn Prakash followed with two dance numbers.

DJ Sham showed the crowd a few dance moves before rocking beats.

At one point in her set, the audience--young and old--freestyled on stage.

Zahra Habib performed a couple of filmi-inspired numbers.


Saturday's events fell on Rakhi, a traditional Indian ceremony in which sisters tie a Rakhi ribbon on their brother's wrist as a symbol of love and respect.
This year, you could also buy a purple rakhi as part of the Love, Respece and Rakhi campaign in which purple rakhis signify a commitment to end violence against women.

Kathak dancer Amika Kushwaha decoded classical Indian dance, using narrative to explain the rhythm and movements of the dance.

Luv Randhawa fused sound and song in a great set that included a preview of his new solo work.
For details on tomorrow's events, visit SAFA.