Diwali celebrated with elated spirits at Indian cultural center
By siliconindia   |   Friday, 12 November 2010, 09:09 IST
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California: Diwali, one of the biggest Indian festivals were celebrated with high spirits by the Indian Cultural Center and a committee led by Dinesh Lakhanpal, which was attended by several thousands of people who ignored the chilly night and the damp fields of the Reseda High School grounds. The celebrations which were enhanced by a Diwali Mela featured nearly a variety of cultural items, a formal program, many booths, and a Ratha Yatra procession. Among the attended dignitaries were local Congressman Brad Sherman, who stated that it was fitting to have a Diwali mela in the San Fernando Valley, where the large Indian population maintains its culture and heritage. He honored four individuals with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, including two Reseda High School students and a local teacher, for outstanding community service. The student awardees included Vanessa Aguirre and Reynaldo Mendez, while Madhu Malhotra and Mohani Kumar were also recognized for their community service efforts. Sherman said that just a few months ago, the ambassador of India made her first trip to California, and he brought her to the San Fernando Valley because it is the center of Indian American life. His comments were bracketed by an evening-long cultural program, which included a variety of different performances, including a Marathi folk dance, several Bollywood and bhangra numbers, singing, and even a traditional Mexican dance routine. The Indian classical dance routines were provided courtesy of two local dance schools operated by Rachana Upadhyay and Nalini Natarajan. The evening's highlight was the horse-drawn carriage making its way around the school grounds that represented the Ratha Yatra procession and featured a young boy dressed up as Hanuman who distributed bananas to the passing crowd as he bellowed 'Jai Shree Ram.' According to the organizers, the cultural program was orchestrated by Malti Lakhanpal with the help of Seema Bhatia and Madhu Malhotra. The emcees were Mohani Kumar, Monique Kumar, and Harish Amar.

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