The
Festival

St. Mary’s Orthodox Church is pleased to welcome you to our 5th annual India Festival 2023. This year’s festival will have even more great:

Indian Food
Arts & Crafts
Games & Sports
Live Entertainment
Free Medical Camp
Live Auction

ABOUT

The Country

Discover India, a captivating nation with a rich history and a bright future. As one of the world's oldest civilizations, India's journey to independence was marked by the iconic Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolent resistance, culminating in 1947.

In recent decades, India's economy has soared, thanks to market-based reforms in 1991. Today, it stands proudly among the top ten global economies by nominal GDP and the top five by Purchasing Power Parity.

India boasts the second-highest population on Earth, over 1.2 billion strong, making it the world's largest democracy. This vast nation is a tapestry of 29 diverse states and 7 union territories, each with its own unique culture, language, and traditions. These cultures intertwine through history, tradition, and socio-economic ties, creating a tapestry of thousands of unique cultures.

The United States is home to over 3 million Indian Americans, with Atlanta ranking as the 10th largest hub, housing nearly 79,000 residents. Experience the allure of India and its diverse, vibrant diaspora right here in the U.S.

THE CHURCH

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, also known as the Indian Orthodox Church is an Oriental Orthodox church centered in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It originates from the evangelical mission of the apostle, Saint Thomas, in the 1st century. It is headed by the autocephalous Catholicos of the East and the Malankara Metropolitan, Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews III.

THE FOOD

Indian food reflects the diversity and creativity of the Indian people and focuses on using many fresh and indigenous ingredients including a variety of spices that make it flavorful and memorable along with various cooking methods that include traditional as well as modern. Indians are known for both preserving their food traditions as well as incorporating the traditions brought by the influence of many cultural groups that arrived in India such as Arabs, Central Asians, Europeans, and Mughals.