by Nicole Bradford
The Puranava Indian Art and Culture Fest is free and open to the public this Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. at the Pearland Town Center.
Presented by the Global Organization for Divinity, the festival includes stage performances from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with off-stage competitions in chess, heritage quiz and Rangoli — or sand art.
A bazaar, food vendors, art exhibits, and kids’ zone are open from noon to 7 p.m.
Entry to the Puranava Kids Zone will be $12 at the event. It includes make-and-take crafts, Indian candy tasting, Indian games, and door prizes every half hour.
A 6 p.m. event highlight is “Chariot Fest,” in which attendees pull a divine chariot, join in kirtan, and watch colorful street performances.
The festival came to Houston in 2018 and to Pearland in 2019. It was held as an August event in 2021 and 2022 and returned to a spring event in 2023.
It is supported by cultural arts grants through the city and the Pearland Convention and Visitors Bureau. For more information about the festival, contest entries, or vendor spaces, call 281-402-6585 or visit puranava-usa.org/home.
