30 May 2024
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Coming to Carrigaline, Cork, on Saturday, June 1st. Organiser, Amna Walayat is thrilled to host the annual Basant Festival for a day of family fun and community spirit. Basant has a religious connection with Hinduism and famous event commemorates the arrival of spring with the colour yellow. The event will include a range of interesting activities that will please participants of all ages.
The Basant Festival is a long-standing custom that brings the community together to celebrate the beauty and rejuvenation of springtime. It is an excellent opportunity for families to spend valuable time together while engaging in exciting activities and making lifelong memories.
The Festival will include a wide range of activities and exhibitions. Families can get involved in Kite Flying and feel the thrill of colourful kites dancing in the sky, they can watch dance performances of traditional Bhangra, Dhol, Indian Classical and Bollywood dance. They can step into the world of creativity and expression at our art exhibition, and embark on a sensory showcase at our business showcase where tantalizing aromas and intricate craftsmanship beckon visitors from far and wide.
There will be a Mango Party from 4pm to 4:45pm held in the Carrigaline Community Complex. The Party will be attended by guest Cllr. Audery Buckley who will be deputising on behalf of the Cork County Mayor.
Mango is a much-loved and expensive fruit, abundant in the summer season, and it’s an identity of the Indian subcontinent region, often referred to as the King of fruits. The ways of eating mango are both fun and challenging, whether in public, alone and in well celebrated Mango Parties in the region. This Mango Party is a fun-and-learn event to tackle this fruit and its cultural significance, celebrating the yellow colour that is also the symbol of Basant (meaning yellow colour).
This year’s Basant Festival is sponsored by Creative Communities, Cork County Council, Rethink Ireland, Sample Studios, and supported by the Asian Grocery Store, Spice Garden. Along with Organiser Amna Walayat, volunteers Jasmin Singh will be helping with the event, Sana Asam who has helped to sponsor the festival and will also be the organiser of the Mango Party. Volunteer Tomiwa Morris will be the media coordinator for the event.
Last year’s event was inaugurated by Cllr. Ben Dalton O’ Sullivan. He joined us in our festivities and participated by cutting the ribbon, and flying a kite to celebrate our event. Many communities who were familiar with the Basant culture were present, including the Pakistani and Indian communities, in addition to some Bangladeshi and Afghan community members. Many of the South Asian community were thrilled to celebrate a day of culture and heritage. Many families from counties, Cork, Kilkenny, Portlaoise, Tralee, and Clonakilty gathered to take part in the festival. Many flew kites, kids had their faces painted, ate many South Asian traditional foods as they were accompanied by various food trucks.
The event will include these exciting activities:
Kite Workshop & Kite Flying: Both children and adults can participate in kite-making classes provided by artists Kim Ling Morris and Riki Matsuda. There will be a competition for the crafted kites. Submission from 2pm – 3pm. Kites will be exhibited in the Community Complex.
Kim-Ling is Cork based artist from Sample-Studios. She will be installing kites in Carrigaline Park that were an outcome of her work with students of Gaelcholáiste ní Mhuire. The students created their own design fish kites using recycled fabrics from broken umbrellas and a spinnaker sail, to help Kim-Ling to start her “Shoal” project. In Japan, the carp represents tenacity and courage. In Ireland, we have the Salmon of Knowledge. This fusion project brings the joy of the Japanese koinoburi (carp fish kites) to Irish shores. Kim-Ling was invited to fuse this fusion at the BASANT festival.
Family Games: Play a variety of fun games and tournaments designed for families to enjoy together.
Live Entertainment: Throughout the day, local musicians, dancers, and entertainers will perform live.
Face Painting and DIY Creative Zone: Children can get their faces painted and make spring-themed crafts at numerous stations across the site.
Picnic Areas: Relax and enjoy a family picnic with meals from a variety of local merchants serving delectable dishes.
Film Screening: Screening of Multi-Cultural Cuisine will be on loop in the Carrigaline Community Complex Hall.
Mango Party: For guests invited by the King of Fruits. The mango party will be held in the Carrigaline Community Complex Kitchen.
Candle Lighting Performance: Held in the Cork Community Complex Hall.
About Basant Team:
Lead organiser Amna Walayat: Amna Walayat is a Cork based visual-artist has worked with Cork County Council as Creative Producer in Residence on the project titled South Asian Community Museum.
Jasmin Singh: A valued member of the Indian Community from Carrigaline, IT Engineer by profession and have great passion to volunteer for community projects.
Sana Asam: A valued member of the Pakistani Community, professionally associated with the medical field and also the spouse of Muhammad Asam, the proprietor of Spice Garden, an Asian Grocery Shop situated on S-Douglas Road. They graciously serve as both sponsors and organizers of the Mango Party.
Tomiwa Morris is the media co-ordinator of the festival. Tomiwa is a third-year student in Arts and Celtic Studies in UCC studying English and Philosophy.