Family Day is celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is a statutory holiday in Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.Family Day was first observed in Alberta in 1990 to recognize the values held by the pioneers who built Alberta and to emphasize the importance of home and family values.
Saskatchewan became the second province to celebrate Family Day as a statutory holiday in 2007, followed by Ontario in 2008.On Saturday, March 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Penn Museum’s World Culture Family Day will focus on India!
Visitors can learn about the art and culture, diverse spiritual practices, “Bollywood” films, and spicy foods of India that are captivating the interests and palates of a rapidly increasing international audience. Come to Hello India! to discover this complex and diverse country. Enjoy classical and folk dances from around India, “Bollywood” films, an Indian fashion show, henna demonstrations, arts and crafts, and more. Find out about India’s ancient Harappan civilization—as well as her contemporary call-centers, an aspect of the country’s changing economics. Learn how to make ‘garam masala’ and simple Indian meals, and plan to leave relaxed, having participated in an Indian yoga workshop!
The event is free with Museum admission donation and co-sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania’s South Asia Center, South Asian Society; the Wharton India Club; Camden County College; Bhartiya Cultural Center; and the Indian Association of South Jersey.
Dancers
Above: Dancers from the Penn Thillana dance group in traditional Indian dress are one of over six groups performing during Penn Museum’s Hello India! World Culture Day. Photos courtesy of Penn Museum.