Rasa is an innovative India-themed multi-arts festival, produced by Akshara, and held annually in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.
In Indian aesthetics, a rasa (Sanskrit: रस lit. ‘juice’ or ‘essence’) denotes an essential mental state and is the dominant emotional theme of a work of art, or the primary aesthetic feeling that is evoked in the person that views, reads or hears such a work.
The Rasa festival is designed to promote a deeper awareness and appreciation for the effulgent richness and abundance of cultural heritage that stems from India. It is multi-arts and multi-disciplinary, presenting traditional as well as cutting edge work in performing, visual, literary, and media/films and culinary arts, in partnership with prominent Ann Arbor arts organizations.
Participating artists in the festival are local, national and international Indo-American artists, artists from India as well as those who are highly inspired by Indian culture. It is a collaborative initiative, working through partnerships with key local organizations.
The 2017 and 2018 Rasa Festivals were extremely successful:
The Rasa Festival is made possible in part by a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities
