Stories and Journeys from the Indian Himalayas
December 3, 2015 , 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Stories and Journeys from the Indian Himalayas
December 3, 2015 | 6:00-8:00 pm
Hirshon Suite (Room 205)
55 West 13th St, New York, NY 10011
Noted Himalayan Anthropologist James Fisher will moderate the conversation.
Husband and wife team, Payson R. Stevens and Kamla K. Kapur will talk on their work in India over the last 12 years living in a remote Himalayan Valley. Payson’s career is multi-faceted with training in art and science. He was an advisor to the Great Himalayan National Park and spearheaded its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kamla is a well-known author of three acclaimed books reimagining Indian myths, stories and tales from three main spiritual sources: Hinduism, Sufism, and Sikhism.
They will share their stories and unique creative perspective with Kamla reading from her books and Payson sharing the perspective of an American living in a valley where the old mythic ways still survive. He will also show his experimental videos that focus on India’s sacred sites.
About Payson:
Payson is an award-winning author, artist, filmmaker and digital pioneer with training in science and the arts. His two companies consulted to NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on global change and helped pioneer digital new media. He received the Presidential Design Award from Bill Clinton for these groundbreaking innovations. During the last 14 years he has worked on Himalayan rural community and conservation issues related to the Great Himalayan National Park. He continues to paint and make experimental videos combining poetry and music in compelling mash-ups.
About Kamla:
Kamla was born and raised in India and studied in the U.S. She taught literature, mythology, and creative writing at Grossmont College for 17 years. Many of her poems have been published in prestigious American journals and quarterlies. She is an accomplished playwright with recent performances of her award-winning play, Kaamiya, in Mumbai. Recent books include: The Singing Guru, Pilgrimage to Paradise: Rumi’s Tales from the Silk Road, Ganesha Goes to Lunch. She is currently working on numerous writing projects including the multi-volume, Sikh Saga; Coherences, a novel of contemporary India, and a young-adult fantasy novel, Malini in Whirlwood.