Mujra dance by members of the Sanskriti School of Dance and Yoga at the South Asian Heritage Festival’s media launch on April 28. (Photo: Gloria Suhasini)

The South Asian Heritage Month in celebration of arts, culture and cuisine of the subcontinent in Ontario, was kicked off with a media launch of the South Asian Heritage Festival at the Olympic Spirit Podium Bar and Restaurant in Toronto on April 28.

More than a hundred guests, including Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty, Toronto Mayor David Miller, and Ontario Minister of Culture Madeleine Meilleur joined the launch event.

Toronto Mayor David Miller reads his proclamation on South Asian Heritage Month at the Olympic Spirit Podium Bar and Restaurant in Toronto on April 28. (Photo: Gloria Suhasini)

“We celebrate the fact that we live in a province and country, where we are free to be who we are … we celebrate diversity which makes us all richer and stronger,” McGuinty said, speaking at the event. He also praised Jyafest Arts Collective, the organizers, for putting together “the longest celebration of South Asian culture anywhere in the world.”

“Our theme this year is ‘connect, explore, unravel,’ highlighting the holistic idea of connecting with each other, promoting unity between communities, and creating an environment of mutual respect and collaborative artistic expression,” festival director and cofounder of Jyafest Shairal Chandra told News India-Times.

Cofounder and festival director Shairal Chandra welcomes the guests and thanks the sponsors at the South Asian Heritage Festival media launch, kicking off the monthlong celebration. (Photo: Gloria Suhasini)

“We are proud to showcase Canada’s wealth of artistic talent, as well as using the festival as platform to present to the world what we as Canadians, and as inhabitants of this city, have to offer,” she said, adding that this would also help newcomers to the city to acclimatize to the new neighborhood.

Mayor Miller read a proclamation and presented it to Chandra. The proclamation said that immigrants from South Asia constituted the largest source of immigration to Toronto.

The proclamation also read: “South Asian Heritage Month is a time to honor the rich cultural heritage and accomplishments of people of South Asian heritage and pay tribute to them and the community organizations that contribute to the social, cultural, economic and political life of our City.”

“Toronto City Council and the people of Toronto have been in the forefront of efforts to establish a caring, compassionate society based on the inherent dignity of all its members, by taking a leadership role aimed at eliminating discrimination and disadvantage and by recognizing that a fundamental strength of our community lies in our unique racial and ethno-cultural diversity.”

The launch event included a sneak preview of performances by local artists: kathak dancer Joanna De Souza, fusion dancer Geeta Shinde, and students of Sanskriti School of Dance and Yoga, who will be performing throughout the month at various locations in the city.

Musicians Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Subhen Chatterjee, Kala Ramnath, Vineet Vyas will perform during the festival. There will also be Bollywood style entertainments through out the month of May. The monthlong celebrations will come to a conclusion with ‘Hungama!’ a two-day street festival downtown, featuring a concert by Delhi based band Midival Pundiz.