Indian festival explodes with color

DANBURY -- On Saturday, a brilliant orange-and-black monarch butterfly fluttered through the crowd at the Danbury Green.

Its aray of colors fit right in with its surroundings -- the third annual Jai Ho India Festival, sponsored by the Indian Association of Western Connecticut in conjunction with CityCenter Danbury.

The all day-festival is, in terms of color alone, brilliant -- with red, green, orange, gold and black everywhere. On Saturday, there was also the scent of samosas and chicken masala wafting across the crowd and the almost continual throb of music -- traditional and pop.

The dance -- modern and traditional as well -- ended with a Bollywood music and dance festival led by the Sadja Sisters and a nine-piece band. The butterfly, if it stayed, would have beat its wings in time.