ENTERTAINMENT

‘Beyond Bollywood’ honors Indian-American culture

BILL NUTT
CORRESPONDENT

The first Asian Indian arrived in on American soil in 1790, a mere 14 years after the United States came into existence.

Through the 1800s, Indian-Americans helped to build railroads, work in lumber mills, and farm land that stayed in their families for generations.

Those are among the revelations in a traveling exhibit created by the Smithsonian Institute to celebration contributions to America by Asian Indians and Indian-Americans.

The exhibit is called “Beyond Bollywood: Indian-Americans Shape the Nation.” The title is a nod to the fact that many people of non-Indian descent automatically associate India with “Bollywood,” the name for the country’s huge film industry.

“We wanted to convey a broad range of what (the Indian-American) community has contributed to America,” says Masum Momaya, museum curator for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.

“We also wanted to give people outside the community the chance to see inside,” Momaya adds.

“Beyond Bollywood” will tour the country for the next four years. Its first stop: the Morris Museum, where it is on view now through July 12.

Tomorrow, May 9, the museum will also host two programs connected to the exhibit. One is a demonstration of magic acts from India by entertainer Shreeyash Palshikar.

The other program is a festival designed for families. Features include dancing, lectures on the history of Indian-American culture, and demonstrations of such skills as sari draping and henna tattooing.

Momaya says that New Jersey is an appropriate place to kick off the road trip. “New Jersey already has a visible community,” she says. “People there have a working knowledge of the community, either firsthand or through friends and acquaintances.”

Statistics support Momaya. The 2010 U.S. Census found that nearly 300,000 New Jerseyans are of Asian Indian descent. That number accounts for more than 3 percent of the state’s population, the highest percentage among all 50 states.

“Beyond Bollywood” consists of 25 panels divided into about a half-dozen sections with audio stations, photographs and artifacts. Some sections are arranged chronologically, while others are arranged thematically.

The exhibit is meant to reach two audiences, Momaya says. She hopes that the wider audiences will realize the significant impact that the Asian Indian community has made on American life.

But the exhibit should also be meaningful to people within the community, Momaya says. She hopes that “Beyond Bollywood” will instill a sense of pride among Indian-Americans.

Momaya can relate, because her family members came to America from India in the 1960s and 1970s. She grew up in a small town in Illinois with few residents of Indian descent.

“If I had seen something like this (exhibit) in my town, I’d have been floored,” she says. “Young people feel they have to explain who we are if we are going to belong. This exhibit does that. I would have loved to have seen something like this.”

Momaya hopes that “Beyond Bollywood” will do more than educate. “We’d like to see this exhibit as a point of departure to discuss issues of justice and issues of immigration,” she says. “These issues need to be a part of a constant dialogue.”

BEYOND BOLLYWOOD: INDIAN-AMERICANS SHAPE THE NATION

WHAT: This traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institute celebrates the contributions that Asian Indian immigrants and their families have made to contemporary American culture, from the 1700s to the present.

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Museum is also open evenings from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on the second and third Thursday of the month. Now through July 12.

WHERE: Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown.

TICKETS: Free for children under age 3, $7 for children ages 3 through 12 and for seniors, $10 for all others. Pay what you wish on second and third Thursday of each month from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free for museum members. Free to military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

BEYOND BOLLYWOOD FAMILY FESTIVAL

WHAT: Family-oriented activities include demonstrations on sari draping and henna tattooing, a spelling bee, traditional crafts, an Indian dance performance, and a talk on the history of Indian magic with a magic show.

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2

TICKETS: $10 adults, $7 for children, free for museum members.

INDIAN MAGIC ART

WHAT: Magician Shreeyash Palshikar will demonstrate the Indian rope trick, a water suspension mystery demonstration, and other examples of Indian magic tricks.

WHEN: 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2

TICKETS: $12 for nonmembers; $10 for members, $9 for groups of 20 or more

COMBO TICKETS: $15 for nonmembers, $10 for members. (Includes admission to both festival and magic art show.)

INFORMATION: 973-971-3700 or www.morrismuseum.org.