If you have lived in Costa Rica for a while you probably are familiar with the Taj Mahal restaurant in Escazú, the go to place for Indian food in Costa Rica that has been operating since 2002; however, this famous restaurant has evolved, and now under a new administration has become part of the chain Naans and Curries and went from offering delicious Indian food to offering a complete experience as a cultural center.

The exotic flavors of India will now be appreciated not just in the amazing dishes offered but also in their dance, art and culture.

Under the name “Shanti” which stands for peace in Hindi this cultural center will promote the Indian culture by offering Sanskrit classes (the language known as the base to many other languages), yoga, cooking lessons, Indian dances including classical and Bollywood and the art of Henna Mehndi.

The Shanti Cultural Center will be managed by Indian and Costa Rican personnel who will be in charge of bringing those interested closer to the different traditions and culture of this rich civilization.

For those interested, the Cultural Center offers the following courses:

Introduction to Sanskrit and basic Hindi by Adriana Molina, a professor at the University of Costa Rica and who studied the language in the United States, Germany and India.
Private cooking classes Learn to make the best Indian food with the chefs of Taj Mahal Restaurant
Yoga Classes by Patrick Banker and Andrea Serrano
Indian Dances by Andrea Vargas a professional dancer, teacher and choreographer who received a scholarship to study two classical dances in New Delhi and is the director of Ave Shanti Academy.
Mehndi Tattoos by Cristina Campos from Saraswati Mehndi and Ethnic Designs (Henna Tattoos)