The Banyan Tree

05/27/2026

Earlier this month, we celebrated the mother figures in our lives with an Ayurveda-based skincare day in our youth programs.

This weekend, we will dive into the complexities of motherhood with Banyan Book Club’s May meeting. Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy is a poignant memoir exploring Roy’s complex relationship with her own mother.

Join us even if you haven’t read the book! We’ll have a potluck and then move into our discussion. We will also provide free childcare so the whole family can enjoy the day together ☺️

This month’s Banyan Book Club is hosted in a Banyan community member’s backyard, so RSVP by Friday to receive the address and wear comfy shoes. See you there!

05/03/2026

We root for our community, and our community roots for us. Root Journeys yesterday was truly one-of-a-kind. From tea-making to political poster creation, natural tie-dye to kids poker, your creativity and joy shined so brightly.

We are honored you spent your day with us, thank you for being on this Banyan journey 🌳

So much love to for working with us to bring this event to life. And a special thank you to all our volunteers and partners for making this event so magical! .cafe

04/26/2026

Join us in conversation with mystery and historical fiction novelist, Sujata Massey! 🔎📚

This month Banyan Book Club read The Widows of Malabar Hill! 📖

We are thrilled to host a virtual meet and greet with the author, Sujata Massey.

✨ Open to all, no need to have read the book to join us. ✨

Join us virtually April 27th at 6:00 PM PT! Sign up with the QR code or at the link in our bio. See you there!

04/21/2026

Interested in learning bharatanatyam as an adult but not sure where to begin? Want to return to bharatanatyam after many years away?

Banyan Natyam is a workshop for you! Join us for a four-day workshop exploring the fundamentals of bharatanatyam in a beginner friendly format. Each day we offer a grounding yoga practice, a lesson in the basic steps of bharatanatyam, a history lesson, and structured guidance on playing with choreography for self-expression.

Join us July 2-5 from 10:00 - 4:30 PM at the Berkeley/Oakland YWCA! Sign up at the link in our bio.

04/17/2026

Did you know that the popular Indian sweet jalebi comes from the Persian dessert zalebiya? Which you can find at Middle East Market!

We are so excited to be partnering with for our free trivia night on Tuesday! Come grab some delicious Persian food and test your knowledge about the many connections between Persia & South Asia. 🤤

Bring your friends, kids, parents, and any history buffs you know for this fun-filled night! RSVP at the-banyan-tree.org/events

04/09/2026

DANCE CHALLENGE!

We couldn’t stop listening to this earworm, so we made a little Banyan Natyam sequence based on how spring is feeling! Try this combo, or make up your own 🫶🏽

Want to learn how to make something like this? Join us for our Banyan Natyam summer camp over July 4th weekend! We will be exploring the history and techniques of bharatanatyam while practicing storytelling through dance. 🌟 Learn more at the-banyan-tree.org/banyan-natyam

04/07/2026

Did you know that bhangra did not start to become a mainstream term in South Asian dance until after Partition?

Bhangra night TONIGHT with Renuka will feature some more fun facts with lots of fun dance and connection time. This is an all-levels class, so whether you’ve never danced before or you’ve been doing bhangra your whole life, you’ll have a great time!

We are so excited to offer this class at , a local South Asian-owned dance studio in Albany!

03/16/2026

What do you want to see The Banyan Tree do next? Tell us in the comments!

03/16/2026