Naples festival offers tastes, sounds, colors of India

A trip around India didn't require a passport or plane ticket, but rather good company and an empty stomach during Saturday's IndiaFest in Naples.

Throughout the day at Fleischmann Park, young children, teenagers and adults performed a variety of traditional Indian dances and later dressed up in bright Indian garb for a fashion show.

Hundreds of onlookers cheered, danced along or recorded video on their cellphones. Festival-goers embraced the culture by getting henna tattoos or tilaka, a traditional mark placed on the forehead.

The festival's theme was "Colors of India," showcasing the cultural variety in India's 29 states, according to the India Association of Naples, which has hosted the event for the past seven years. In honor of Rasik Mehta, a founding member, a portion of the event's proceeds benefited the Senior Friendship Center in Naples.

The Indian culture is important to Visala Varanasi, a member of the association. She was born in southern India and now calls Naples home. During the event, she wore a traditional Indian sari (garment) and enjoyed authentic Indian cuisine while watching live performances with friends.

"This event is all about Indian music, Indian food and having people mingle with other cultures," she said.

Between performances, festival-goers sampled traditional Indian fare from restaurants such as 21 Spices of East Naples and a Fort Myers spot offering naan (flatbread), butter chicken, chickpeas and biryani (a rice dish). Drinks included bubble tea and sugar cane juice.

Vendors sold Indian kurtas and sarees — shirts and dresses — jewelry and parasols.

Married couple Steve and Subriya Parowski, of Naples, tried the chicken biryani with kebabs and naan at a table near the vendors. They found out about the event after seeing a sign for it out on the street.

Subriya Parowski is of Indian descent and doesn't have any close family living nearby, so she encouraged her husband to pull in.

"I said we have to go," she said.

"I love (the culture)," said Steve Parowski, especially "the spicy cuisine."

Many festival-goers were curious about Indian culture.

Between performances, Jennifer Ashford, of Naples, watched as her two daughters danced on stage with Indian girls who performed during the event.

Ashford thinks it's important to expose her young children to other cultures.

"We come out to really every cultural event that we can in Naples," Ashford said.

Over by the inflatable fun house, rock climbing wall and face-painting booth, a large group of future yoga instructors sat in a circle and took in the sights and sounds. They attended the festival to appreciate the culture that developed yoga.

"When you're learning anything that has a very deep, cultural background, it's always good to know exactly what that background is and where everything came from," said Kat Ebaudh, of Marco Island.