Festival of Lights दीप
Austin, Texas
The season opens with a celebration of light over darkness.
The path to Lights 7 gatherings and a festival
This wheel is a working sundial. The shadow of its axle reads , your time
A clock carved in stone
The wheels of the Sun Temple at Konark are sundials. Ours sets the sun where it stands for you right now, so the axle's shadow falls on your hour.
- Great spoke3 hours
- Slender spoke90 minutes
- Each bead3 minutes
Midnight is at the top, noon at the bottom, and the shadow moves anticlockwise. The stone turns slowly, so read the still ring around it. After dark, the moon takes over.
The 2026-27 Series
Wonderful India
Experience India’s living traditions
A 14-month cultural journey through food, music, dance, yoga, philosophy, craft, storytelling, and community in Austin, Texas.
Five festivals, 14 months
The events turn the wheel
01 of 05
Festival of Colors रंग
Austin, Texas
Celebrating the coming of spring with a season full of colors.
The road to Colors 5 gatherings, then the festival
Festival of Yoga योग
Austin, Texas
Breath, stillness and the long light of early summer.
The road to Yoga 5 gatherings, then the festival
Festival of Wisdom ज्ञान
Austin, Texas
Teachers, scholars and storytellers pass on what they know.
The road to Wisdom 7 gatherings, then the festival
Festival of Illumination प्रकाश
Austin, Texas
The wheel comes full circle, and the light we began with returns.
The road to Illumination 4 gatherings, then the festival
From one land, for the whole world
India has spent thousands of years learning how to live well. Wonderful India shares that wisdom through arts, practice, and community, with anyone ready to experience it.
America already knows parts of this living tradition by name: yoga, meditation, ayurveda, karma. But so much of its richness remains unseen, unshared, or disconnected from the people who grew up living it.
Dance, music, food, yoga, craft, painting, philosophy, and story are all part of the journey to living well. Experience these traditions firsthand through a movement celebrating this journey across 14 months with authentic performances, interactive workshops, and seasonal gatherings, building toward a grand confluence in late 2027. It began in April 2024 as a month-long festival in Central Austin: the 2024 Wonderful India Festival.
Every gesture in Bharatanatyam has a meaning. She is telling a story.
The root of everything we do
वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam The World is One Family
Our philosophy
Every tradition of India begins from one truth: nothing and no one
is excluded.
One family, one earth, one cosmos.
Wonderful India exists to practice that idea in public.
Austin, 2024 and beyond
Where the story began, and where you come in
In 2024, we filled a hall in Austin with dance, music, yoga, and art, with presentations by scholars, panel discussions on AI and Vedanta, talks on spirituality in the modern world, and much more. And we kept filling it up week after week, with attendees eager to learn the true purpose behind these living traditions.
That spark has grown into a movement.
Some of these frames hold memories from that first month. The empty ones are waiting for you, your family, and what we will create together over the next 14 months.
DragSwipe the rows, or open any print
Participate
Be part of the movement
Come to listen, to learn, or to lead. There is a place on the wheel for you.
01 of 06
Individual masters, performing ensembles, and informed innovators
Vocalists, instrumentalists, dancers, storytellers, and ensembles from any Indian performance tradition, including classical, folk, fusion, devotional, or commercial. Showcasing emerging as well as established artists in a curated series of celebrations.
02 of 06
Families, friends, neighbors, and the simply curious
Come and sit in the circle. Hear a raga live, eat a regional meal, learn a few steps, ask a scholar the question you have always wondered about. Bring your children and your parents. No background needed, only an open mind.
03 of 06
Scholars, yoga teachers, spiritual leaders
Scholars and practitioners of music, architecture, yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, mathematics and astronomy. If you can explain the why as well as the how, in plain language, the program needs you.
04 of 06
Community builders of all ages and backgrounds
Every gathering runs on volunteers. Come on your own or bring family, children and friends. The work ranges from welcoming guests to hanging exhibitions to running children’s activities.
05 of 06
Cultural institutions, civic leaders, sponsors, donors
Institutions, businesses, foundations and individual donors are what keep the movement going. Every contribution is thanked in public, unless you would rather it was not.
06 of 06
Authentic regional cuisine, handcrafted textiles, fine art, artisanal goods
Culinary specialists, gallery owners, ayurveda sellers, textile and jewelry vendors, crafters, artists, and makers with authentic Indian products make the event more vibrant. Vendor applications are reviewed, selected, and carefully curated to match the cycle, season, and theme.
FAQs
Before you ask
01 What is Wonderful India?
A series of events held across 2026 and 2027, devoted to celebrating India’s living traditions including music, yoga, meditation, culinary arts, craft, dance, theater, visual arts, and storytelling. It evolved from the acclaimed month-long Wonderful India Festival held in Austin in 2024.
02 When and where are the events?
Events take place in person in Austin, Texas. Venue details and intermediate dates are released season by season. Join the waiting list to be notified.
03 Do I need to be Indian or religious to attend?
Not at all. Guided by Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“The world is one family”), Wonderful India is designed to be authentic and accessible to everyone, including multi-generational households, mixed families, and first-time visitors. India’s teachings were never exclusive, and neither are this series of celebrations. All backgrounds, all beliefs, all ages welcome.
04 How are artists, performers, and speakers selected?
We uphold high standards of artistic integrity and selectively curate artists, performers, and speakers for each event. We welcome applications from master practitioners, traditional artists, and groups/ensembles specializing in Indian music, dance, theater, storytelling, yoga, and visual art traditions. We also welcome culturally-informed fusion projects grounded in formal lineage or deep practice. Visit the Participate page to apply. Go to Participate
05 How do I participate as a vendor?
Vendors are selectively curated for each event to maintain high standards and cultural resonance. We welcome applications from vendors offering authentic regional cuisine, handcrafted textiles, visual fine art, traditional artisanal goods, ayurvedic products/services, and services in yogic/meditative arts. Vendors must submit an application for consideration; if selected, vendors pay a booth fee and are responsible for securing all necessary permits, licenses, and sales tax documents prior to vending. Visit the Participate page to apply. Go to Participate
06 Is it free?
Some of it is. Many community sessions and workshops run on a suggested donation, and the anchor festivals and mainstage events are ticketed. Whatever you give goes straight back into the movement: into producing public events across 14 months, from October 2026 to November 2027, into spreading the word and reaching more of our community, and into keeping community seats and accessible prices open for anyone who needs them. If cost is the only thing holding you back, reach out and we’ll save you a seat. Reach out
07 Who is behind it?
Wonderful India is an initiative of Artly World, a 501c3 nonprofit in Austin, Texas, dedicated to building community connection through meaningful, high-quality arts experiences. ArtlyWorld.org
