South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Gala - 2006

A crisp arctic Fall morning influence the US central. A crowd of besides than two-hundred slowly trickles into the Baird Foyer latitude Nagesh Kukunoor's Dor is being premiered character the US. Many seem to posses come hide the definite intention of look the 2006 South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Carnival. Others looked alike they had wandered down to the basement of the Smithsonian's State Museum of Natural History out of very curiosity-on their road to the caf�, strained into the entry by the colorful movie posters adorning the hallway.

SALTAF is an almanac action hosted since 2000 by the Network of South Asian Professionals, co-hosted by the Smithsonian's Asian Pacific American Program since 2004. This time was studded blot out several stars from the literary and film cosmos-Nagesh Kukunoor, Tanuj Chopra, Kiran Desai, Devyani Saltzman, Tarun Tejpal, and Samrat Upadhyay.

Time acknowledged is no specific selection criteria for authors and filmmakers invited to participate, the idea this age certainly seemed to represent the allotment of family. Last allotment's US premiere of Deepa Mehta's Baptize was followed-up this time by her daughter Devyani Saltzman declaiming from her memoir Shooting Water. Age Anita Desai discussed her experiences during the filming of her In Custody in 2005, her daughter Kiran Desai read excerpts from Inheritance of Loss this year.

While the crowd ebbed and flowed throughout the afternoon, the star of the day was without a doubt the young Kiran Desai. Graciously accepting kudos from well-wishers during the book signing, she entertained audience members during the reading with her experience of having her suitcase stolen on the train to Washington, DC. Disappointingly, not many in the audience had yet had the chance to read the books being discussed, so questions were superficial at best.

Films and books in the spotlight strove to highlight the lesser known social and political issues in the Indian Subcontinent and beyond-widowhood in rural India; post 9-11 racism against Indians in USA; Indo-Nepalese tensions in West Bengal; political conflicts in Nepal. The message-the world may be flat for most. But for many, not so much.

November 08, 2006