Ranjitha of Indian Performing Arts

Ranjitha is originally from India and has lived in the Netherlands for almost eight years, including the past three years in Zaandam.

At the Zaans Cultuurhuis, she wants to be the connector between artists, and people who want to learn from them. Ranjitha wants people to learn something from Indian culture. Not only people from other cultures but also the children from the Indian community itself.

"Many Indian people live in Holland, have children and embrace the local culture, but I also want children to learn something about where their roots are.

She wants to start offering workshops every other week, where children are taught by teachers and professionals from her network. This will allow them to learn, discover and develop.

Ranjitha is trained as an engineer and also completed an MBA at the University of Amsterdam. She currently works at RWA, a German company focused on renewable energy. For her, sustainability is not just work, but a real passion.

As a mother and an expat, she believes it is important to connect with the local culture. But she also wants her children to question their origins.

Where do you come from, what is your background? That awareness forms a basis. From that motivation, I want children not only to learn from Dutch artists and teachers, but also to engage with their mother culture.

In the same way, she also finds it important to explore other cultures. And conversely, to share her own culture with others who are curious about India.

'India is so much more than just food or Bollywood. The country has a rich tradition of performing arts, with each province having its own unique culture. Music, dance, drama and theater are deeply rooted in the way people express themselves.'

Ranjitha wants to make this heritage accessible to children and youth, as well as to anyone open to new cultural experiences.

According to Ranjitha, what the Culture House is now becoming is the beginning of something bigger: a place where cultures meet and children have the opportunity to choose from a variety of influences.

'Maybe that's an Indian, but it could be Turkish, Moroccan, or some other culture.'

The more different cultures that come together the better argues Ranjitha. This diversity will then begin to create openness and curiosity and provide a place for children and adults to learn, showcase their talents and build a rich cultural program together.