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GEORGIA, USA, February 20, 2005: An important breakthrough in educating the Columbus community about the culture of India took place when a three-month-long festival opened on February 5, 2005, at the Columbus Museum, one of the largest museums in the Southeast. The Indo-US Cultural Association joined with the Columbus Museum in an unprecedented partnership to host a series of events highlighting various aspects of India’s wondrous cultural diversity. The evening opened with a gala reception attended by over 300 people who were a balanced mix between the mainstream and the Indian American community. As the guests entered the museum doorway, Indian women dressed in their fine sarees warmly pranamed to each guest. The museum entrance was adorned with a toran, and the foyer was decorated with a large rangoli, Indian fabrics and statues of Deities. Some Westerners were also dressed in Indian clothing. A joyous and festive mood permeated throughout the museum galleries. Dr. Bipin Patel, Chairman of the specially formed Indian Advisory Board to the Columbus Museum for the Festival, had nothing but praise for the evening. “This [event] has been excellent, beyond our imagination.”



The gathering soon packed the downstairs auditorium to listen in pin-drop silence to a forty-five minute slide presentation by Robert Arnett that emphasized India’s religious diversity. The Curator of Education at The Columbus Museum, Kristen Miller-Zohn, was impressed. “Robert did a wonderful job, and it was very interesting to see his personal experience. I think there are many people here tonight who’ve never been to India before, and he let the Columbus community know what we couldn’t understand about India.” The slide presentation was followed by an arati (worship with lights), led by women from the Columbus Indian community. This officially opened the photo exhibit entitled “Across India: Selected Photographs from Robert Arnett’s India Unveiled,” on view from February 6 to May 8, 2005.



The presentation was followed by book-signing by Robert Arnett for “India Unveiled” and for his children’s book “Finders Keepers?,” illustrated by Smita Turakhia, who flew in for the event. Both books have won numerous national awards and have been well-received by parents, teachers and educators.The Columbus Museum Exhibit Opening was an evening where the cultural boundaries dissolved as the guests warmly mingled with each other. Everyone went home with a better understanding of the underlying unity of the religions of East and West. The photographs in the exhibit can be viewed here. The exhibit will likely travel to other museums later this year.

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