It’s sad to realize how little I know about what goes on south of 41st Street. I know there is a huge Indian population in Vancouver, but I have almost no idea about it. This is one of those lines of division I’ve been working on crossing and when I heard about the Festival of India, I had to check it out.

After a cool and rainy morning the sun came out on a circle of tents with Hindu literature for sale, cooking seminars, yoga, displays on aspects of Hare Krishna and multiple stages with musicians and performers. An endless flow of free food was handed out from the Free Feast tent and there was a heated discussion/philosophical train wreck at the Questions & Answers tent.

It was a delightful introduction to Indian culture but in retrospect I still have many questions like:

Is Hare Krishna the same as Hinduism?

Where does Buddhism fit in?

Aren’t there also Muslims in India?

What was that delicious purple stuff?

Where do these people hang out?

I look forward to following up with more blog entries.

The first thing I have to say about the Powell Street Festival is that you’ve got to love an event with a free bike valet service! It’s a real relief. Not once did I worry about it being stolen or vandalized.

On the main stage, the first Taiko drumming group I heard was just awesome. They integrating traditional sounds like the flute and more modern accents like electronic percussion and sampling. If you hear about a group called Rhythm Clash, check them out.

All around the grounds were Japanese cultural groups, artists and food vendors. There were more drums and a martial arts demo but everyone’s attention was captivated by the amateur sumo tournament. It was a lot of fun to watch and even more amusing when I recognized my librarian in the ring.