Last year�s India Fest in Gainesville.

Last month, Melbourne and West Palm Beach held their annual India Fests. In March, it�s the turn of the cities of Fort Myers and Gainesville.

FORT MYERS: The India Association of Fort Myers (IAFM) will hold its 21st annual India Fest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 15 at Lee County Alliance for the Arts grounds.

GAINESVILLE: More than 4,000 people are expected to celebrate the annual India Fest from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 29 at the Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville. The daylong event is organized by the India Cultural & Education Center (ICEC) of Gainesville. Participating communities include Gainesville, Ocala, Citrus County, Lake City, Tallahassee, Fort Walton, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Melbourne, Lakeland, etc. The cultural show will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 5 p.m.

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Sahara, a local grassroots organization reaching out to female Asian victims of domestic violence, will present Jazz Yatra 2008 on Saturday, March 22. The 7 p.m. fusion performance featuring jazz, classical Indian music and dance will be held at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, 2855 Coral Springs Drive, on Saturday. This year, the event is presented with the support of a grant from the city of Coral Springs.

The first segment features a fusion dance ensemble of classical Indian and Western styles of dance entitled �Rejuvenation� representing the stages in the life of a woman as it parallels the four seasons. Dancers include Harija Sivakumar, Neha Shah, Aparna Matange, Reshmi Sunil, Priya Nagaraj, Priya Prasad and Varsha Jawadekar.
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Vishnu Mandir on 5803 Lynn Road in Tampa is holding its first annual Community Health Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15 at the temple.

Free health screenings will be offered for blood sugar, cholesterol and obesity. A blood pressure check and a bone density test also will be available.

Free health education seminars will be offered on the importance of early screening for colon cancer; mammograms; diabetes; smoking hazards; and allergies.

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Holi, the Festival of Colors, will be celebrated throughout Indian communities in Florida. Here are a few of the cities that will observe this joyous spring event.

TAMPA: The Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay will hold its annual Holi event at Picnic Island in Tampa on Sunday, March 16. For details, call Samaj President Dr. Harish Patel at (727) 398-4030, its Vice President C.J. Patel at (813) 960-8450 or visit www.gujaratisamaj.org

Also, the Sanatan Mandir at 333 E. Palm Ave. in Tampa will celebrate Holi on Thursday, March 20, from 8 p.m. onward. Colors (rang) will be available. For information, call mandir President Chandrakant Patel at (813) 340-5505.

ORLANDO: The Gujarati Society of Central Florida will hold its Holi Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 23 at Turkey Lake Road, Pavilion No. 6 in Orlando. For information, visit www.gujaratisocietycfl.com

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The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood (ACCH) will present the world-famous Nrityagram Dance Ensemble of India on Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8 at 8 p.m. at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, 1770 Monroe St. A special 2 p.m. matinee performance with this renowned dance company takes place at the theater on Sunday, March 9.

The internationally acclaimed ensemble transports viewers to enchanted worlds of magic and spirituality with the sensuous flow of Odissi, the oldest of India�s classical dance forms. Surupa Sen�s compelling choreography is the elusive union of meaning and abstraction, set to an original score and performed to live music by a stunning ensemble of female dancers.
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Inside
Get more in the upcoming events sections, youth highlights, health updates and read book reviews in this edition of Khaasbaat.
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