A Taste of India

Still 2 blocks away, we could hear the pulsing electronic beats floating through the forest ahead and up the street. We were drawn in, our feet already tapping to to the beat as tabla drum, electric sitar, and dhol fused with fiddle and guitar. Fiddle and sitar? Together in one band? An unlikely pairing, but the result was magical.
As we left the street and followed a dirt trail downhill, eucalyptus trees gave way to a grove of pine and redwood -- the hallmark of this relatively unknown city park. A gift to the city way back in 1931, Sigmund Stern Grove is a thin but heavily wooded ravine caught between the Parkside and Lake Merced parts of suburban San Francisco. It's steep slopes and large trees make it seem much bigger than it actually is. The 'Grove' in the park's name comes from the magnificent stand of coast redwoods that are preserved at the park's eastern end. It is this grove of coastal giants give the visitor more of a feeling of isolation and separation from the city around it than in any other spot in all of San Francisco.
As we made our way through the forest and neared the stone ampitheater, we could see the huge crowd that had gathered for an afternoon of Indian music. We could see the sitarist sitting on stage, the fiddler moving side to side, bow in constant motion. A mass of two or three hundred bodies moved to the electronic beat at the foot of the stage. The mesmerizing tabla beats and surreal melody of the sitar floating among redwood trunks was enough to sweep most listeners away into the kind of dreamy euphoria that only this kind of experience can give.
Part of the vision of the woman who bequeathed Stern Grove upon the city was to make the preserve a place that would promote arts and culture. That vision has been realized through the annual Stern Grove Festival, now in its 72nd year, which celebrates the art and beauty of music from around the world, offering free concerts every Sunday throughout the summer.
Rai, ever since you've been born, I've been telling you all about your parents' travels. A place that comes up often in our conversations is India, a country that leaves a deep impact on anyone who visits. There is probably no country more exotic, colorful and full of sensory stimulation than India and for those who really enjoy trying but rewarding travel and adventure, this is the place.
For the time being, the bhangra produced by Indian phenom Kailash Kher and his band Kailasa with opening band Delhi 2 Dublin are the closest we can get you to India. One day, we will step into the otherworldly experience that is India together, little man. For now, enjoy the bhangra!