Events

Exhibition Mythology and mystique – Traditional North Indian miniature painting by contemporary artists

North Indian miniature painting has enchanted people for centuries with its sophisticated details and charming colors. In their amazing details the visualizations enliven mythological incidents, nature and everyday life, transforming the impartial canvas into and arena of Indian history and present.

Our exhibition presents works of traditional miniature painting by contemporary representatives belonging to the school of the well-known artist Saurabh Goswami of Vrindaban. Since the art of traditional painting is today on the verge of extinction, the exhibition on the one hand offers an opportunity for young Indian artists to present their works on an international platform and thereby encourages them to continue practicing their art, while on the other hand the visitors are given a glimpse of this unique world of colors.

The special attractions of this exhibition include a series of Sanjhi designs (mystic diagrams) conceptualized by Acharya Shashank Goswami and manifested on canvas by young artists Chitrang Goswami and Shreya Goswami of the Vraja School of Arts.

The inaugural function will present an introductory lecture on the North Indian painting tradition, a live performance of North Indian temple songs and a demonstration of the traditional art of Sanjhi. Tea and snacks will be available.

As this year’s exhibition marks the completion of twenty years of collaboration between Vraja Kala Sanskriti Sansthana and the Foreigners’ Council, Dresden, there will be a short photographic reminiscence about this collaboration that started with an exhibition of traditional North Indian miniature painting in August 2006.

Exhibition Vande Mataram by Shri Ram Goswami

Vande Mataram, the powm written in 1875 by the well-known Bengali poet Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, was declared the national song of India in 1950, on equal par with the national anthem. The hymn dedicated to Mother India – “Vande Mataram” signifies “homage to the mother” – describes India’s beauty, its nature, landscapes and culture. In 2025, when India celebrated 150 years of Vande Mataram, young artist Shri Ram Goswami felt inspired to manifest the poetic images through colors on canvas.

Vande Mataram by Shri Ram Goswami is a series of twelve paintings that translate every single word of the first two stanzas of the Indian national song through acrylic colors onto the canvas. The series reflects not only India’s natural beauty, its plants and animals,but also the young artist’s love for his homeland, whose characteristics he depicts from his own perspective.

Shri Ram Goswami will be present at the inaugural function and speak about his exhibition.

Indian cultural weekend

November, the dull late autumn month when dense cloud covers hide the sky and sunshine becomes a rare asset, the yearning for warm and sunny regions arises naturally from within. We are bringing one such country to Dresden with our Indian cultural weekend. From 4 pm we offer workshops on traditional Sanjhi ground painting, on Indian music and on North Indian temple cuisine, along with insights into Indian culture, history and way of life. There would be traditional Indian games as well as folk tales and stories for children. A reception with Indian tea and snacks at 7 pm is followed by a slide show at 8 pm to conclude the day.

Slide show On the traces of Mahatma Gandhi – Stations in his life. Part 1: Porbandar, Ahmedabad and Mumbai

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), respectfully referred to as ‘Mahatma’ (‘great soul’) , is celebrated to the present day as the father of the Indian nation. As one of the most significant leaders of the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule, Gandhi ji led the country to freedom and inspired similar human rights movements all over the world. The path of non-violence and non-cooperation chosen by Gandhi ji to achieve his aim is thereby of special significance as it opened the way towards a new and more effective method of peaceful resistance. In 2019, India remembered its great leader on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary.

The first part of this slide show is dedicated to stations in Gandhi ji’s life between 1869 and 1934, in particular his birthplace Porbandar, the Sabarnati Ashram established by him in Ahmedabad where he was based between 1917 and 1934, as well as places in Bombay frequented by him during the same period.

Slide show On the traces of Mahatma Gandhi – Stations in his life. Part 2: Sevagram, Pune and Delhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), respectfully referred to as ‘Mahatma’ (‘great soul’) , is celebrated to the present day as the father of the Indian nation. As one of the most significant leaders of the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule, Gandhi ji led the country to freedom and inspired similar human rights movements all over the world. The path of non-violence and non-cooperation chosen by Gandhi ji to achieve his aim is thereby of special significance as it opened the way towards a new and more effective method of peaceful resistance. In 2019, India remembered its great leader on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary.

The second part of this slide show is dedicated to the last decade of Gandhi ji’s life, in particular the Sevagram village established by him in 1936, furthermore Pune where Gandhi ji was kept under house arrest by the British colonial rulers from 1942 to 1944, and Delhi where he lived until his assassination on January 30, 1948.

Slide show Mumbai – City of opposites

Mumbai, Ind9a’s economic capital, distinguishes itself through its peculiar and unique atmosphere characterized by opposites and paradoxes. Between skyscrapers we find rural oases right in the middle of the pulsating metropolis. Traditional culture goes hand in hand with a modern way of life, and all this melts into a homogeneous whole. The slide show presents impressions of the city – its street-life, its crowded local trains, its taxis and autorikshas, and last but not least the major attractions of the city. Mumbai is known to many through the Bollywood films – our slide show takes the spectator behind the scenes of this illusionary world onto a trip through Film City, the town within the town, to take a look at the shooting of films and television series.

As our event is taking place on November 26, we are going to remember the victims of the Mumbai

Discussion round Discussion over tea – Current and educational affairs in India

This forum offers the possibility for an interactive exchange on current and educational matters in India, providing insights into various aspects of Indian society and answering questions related to the relevant thematic range. This year the discussion would focus on India’s place within world politics, furthermore on an overview over the twelve years from 2014 to 2026 during which India ascended globally from the tenth to the fourth position according to its gross domestic product, as well as on new tendencies in India’s cultural and educational policies over the past twelve years.

Slide show Gujarat’s metropoles – Tradition and modernity

Gujarat, the West Indian state located on the shore of the Arabian Seas, counts among India’s richest and most advanced regions. Traditionally known for its trade and flourishing economy, Gujarat is at the same time a historically significant region that looks back at its centuries-old culture and profound mythological roots. The slide show leads us through the cities of modern Gujarat, displaying both their traditions and present-day appearance.

Slide show Delhi – A walk through history and present time

Delhi – mythic city of ancient India, power center of Islamic rule during the Middle Ages, capital of the independent India of the present: the flair of this modern city reflects the centuries old role of Delhi as the political center of northern India. From the Walled City of Old Delhi to the satellite towns of the metropolis, this slide show leads the spectator through a multitude of diverse facets, from early historical attractions right up to the modern way of life in the Indian capital.

Indian cultural weekend

The month of December goes hand in hand with festive glamor, with joyous anticipation just before the impending year-end celebrations. In India, festive occasions and reasons to celebrate come up throughout the year and there is hardly any day without festive celebrations in the one or other region of the sub-continent. With our Indian cultural weekend we aim to bring a glimpse of this festive spirit to Dresden just before Christmas. Besides different workshops and presentations for children and adults, there would be a small Indian Christmas Bazaar with traditional handicrafts and natural healthcare products.

From 4 pm onwards the will be workshops on traditional Sanjhi ground painting, on Indian music and on North Indian temple cuisine, along with insights into Indian culture, history and way of life. There will be traditional Indian games and folk tales and legends for children. A reception with Indian tea and snacks at 7 pm is followed by a slide show at 8 pm to conclude the day.

Slide show The rock monuments of Mahabaliputram

Located about 60 km south of the South Indian metropolis Chennai on the Coromandal coast of the Bay of Bengal, the town of Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram was founded between the seventh and ninth centuries A.D.. The former capital of the Pallava dynasty counts today among the Unesco World Heritage sites. Renowned for its monolithic rock monuments, Mamallapuram houses a number of rock and cave temples dedicated to different deities; there is furthermore an impressive rock carving that depicts scenes from the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata, as well as an ensemble of five monolithic temples collectively known as the ‘Five Chariots’. The famous Sea Shore Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva notably remained safe during the 2005 Tsunami disaster.

Slide show Treasures of ancient India – The Khajuraho Group of temples

Khajuraho, the small locality in Madhya Pradesh at the heart of India, is world famous for its magnificent temples dating from the time of the Chandela dynasty (10th century A.D.), wich impress through their intricate and delicate sculptures and sophisticated wood carvings. The slide show introduces us to the world of these ancient works of art and presents the Khajuraho Group of temples that counts among the Unesco World Heritage sites.

Concluding function of exhibitions Mythology and mystique and Vande Mataram

The grand conclusion of the two exhibitions Mythology and mystique and Vande Mataram will be accompanied by a tour through the exhibitions in the presence of young artist Shri Ram Goswami. There will be a demonstration of traditional Sanjhi ground painting, accompanied by the live presentation of temple songs. Tea and Indian snacks will be served.

Documentary film On the traces of Mahatma Gandhi

On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Indian nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, in December 2018, Vraja Kala Sanskriti Sansthana conducted a documentation of six important stations in the Mahatma’s life – Porbandar, his birthplace; Ahmedabad, where he established his first ashram in India; Mumbai; Wardha and Sevagram, where his second ashram in India was located; Pune, where Gandhi ji and his associates were kept under house arrest, and finally Delhi, where he spent the last 144 days of his life. Conceptualized by Acharya Shri Shashank Goswami and narrated by twelve years old student Shri Ram Goswami, the documentary film presents glimpses of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace, of the Sabarmati and Sevagram Ashrams, of the Gandhi Museum at Mani Bhavan in Mumbai, of the Aga Khan Palace at Pune, and of the places related to Gandhi ji’s life at Delhi.