Granted that the majority of Kiwi-Indians live in Auckland. But every now and then, the community in the regions come to the fore, and showcases the richness of the Indian culture. This is what happened at New Plymouth last weekend when the New Plymouth Indian Community NZ (NPICNZ), organised it’s fourth annual Diwali function, which was attended by over 3,000 people from across communities.
“Every year, we gather to celebrate the festive occasion, as well as showcase our values, tradition, and way of living, by incorporating a theme flowing through the entire evening. Last year, we demonstrated the different regions of India – from Kashmir to Kanyakumari; and this year, our theme was festivals of India,” informed Ashwani Kumar, President of NPICNZ. These included Holi, Lohri, Vaisakhi, Ganesh Festival, Onam, Kerala Boat Festival, Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Pongal, Rajasthani dance, Bollywood mixes and many more.
The most popular act of the evening every year, Kumar added, is the mock wedding ceremony organised on stage. “Last year, it was a Punjabi wedding, while this year, audience were educated on the customs and rituals associated with a Haryanvi wedding,” he added. “My wife Suman Sharma, and Natalie Fernandez, were the cultural coordinator for the event. And all these ideas came from them.”
-TIN Bureau