Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
International

City Of Aurora Heralds Diwali Celebrations In US

Darpan News Desk IANS, 01 Nov, 2015 01:20 PM
    A local school auditorium was converted for a few hours into mini-India for Diwali celebrations hosted by the city of Aurora, the second largest city in the US state of Illinois.
     
    Over 4,000 people, mostly Indian-Americans, in traditional attire, attended the event organised by the Indian-American Community Outreach Board of the city. 
     
    The guests were treated to an eclectic collection of performances ranging from vignettes from the Ramayana to semi-classical and Bollywood dances expertly performed by amateurs, many of them second generation Indian-Americans.
     
    The fast paced cultural extravaganza entertained the crowd of over 4,000, while serving as an introduction to India’s mythological and cultural heritage for US-born Indians and non-Indians. 
     
    Cuisines from various Indian states and traditional Indian apparel and jewellery provided a feast for the eyes and palate.
     
    A video presentation projected glimpses of Indian history and culture. Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner lit the traditional lamp inaugurating the event, which started with Ganesh aaradhana (invocation) and included a Bharat Natyam performance on ‘Rama Ravana’, depicting the slaying of the demon king. 
     
    Mayor Weisner, whose unstinted support led to the city hosting the first Diwali event last year, appeared visibly pleased at the success of the event, as well as the contribution of the Indian-American community to the cultural fabric of the city. 
     
    “Indian-Americans have enriched the city with their unique contribution to music, dance and cuisine,” he said. 
     
    Other elected officials endorsed him. US Congressman Bill Foster said that Diwali reminded Americans of how multiple cultures have contributed to the American heritage. 
     
    Among those attending were two members of the state legislature, the Indian consul general and several aldermen.
     
    Krishna Bansal, the chairman of the board, noted that it was fitting that Diwali, the festival of lights should be celebrated by Aurora, the city of lights. Aurora, named after the goddess of dawn was the first city in the US to have public electric lights. 
     
    “Diwali, which symbolises the victory of light over darkness, or the triumph of virtue over evil, has assumed greater relevance in a world torn by division and strife,” he said. 
     
    The Diwali event was held a few days before the actual Diwali on November 11, taking into account Chicago area's unpredictable cold in November, that could have prevented the outdoor fireworks display, the concluding part of the celebrations.
     
    The event was seen as much a celebration of India’s culture as an acknowledgement of how well the Indian community has assimilated into the suburb. 
     
    Although Indian-American immigration to Aurora and the neighbouring Chicago suburbs is relatively recent, Indian-Americans have quickly made a mark by contributing significantly to the fields of business, academics, medicine and technology. 
     
    Diwali was first celebrated in the White House in 2003 and was given official status by the US Congress in 2007 with push from former president George W. Bush. Barack Obama became the first president to personally attend Diwali celebrations at the White House in 2009.
     
    Members of the Aurora Indian-American Board and scores of volunteers toiled for months to make the event a success. Many of the volunteers were professionals in the fields of information technology and finance. 
     
    Not surprisingly, technology played a critical role in the organising efforts. Marketing strategies involved power point presentations, meticulous floor plans and extensive meetings with city officials and fire marshals. 
     
    The traditional Indian ‘diyas’, a fire hazard, were ruled out. 
     
    Different sections of the audience had a different take out from the event. For those not of Indian descent and US-born Indians, the exotic nature of the dances overshadowed everything else. While the older generation appreciated the ‘abhinaya’ (histrionics) of the ‘Rama Ravana’ performance.
     
    A six-year-old Indian-American announced that he was fascinated by the ten-headed Ravana, because he “looks really cool”.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    US Vice President Joe Biden says not to run for presidency

    US Vice President Joe Biden says not to run for presidency
    US Vice-President Joe Biden will not seek the presidency, he announced in a surprise appearance at the White House on Wednesday.

    US Vice President Joe Biden says not to run for presidency

    Former Miss Austria Ena Kadic Dies After Falling From A Mountain While Jogging

    Former Miss Austria Ena Kadic Dies After Falling From A Mountain While Jogging
    Former Miss Austria Ena Kadic died on Tuesday after falling off the side of a mountain the previous day while she was jogging.

    Former Miss Austria Ena Kadic Dies After Falling From A Mountain While Jogging

    Pranav Sivakumar, Indian-American Kid Gets A Shout-Out From President Obama At White House Gala

    Pranav Sivakumar, Indian-American Kid Gets A Shout-Out From President Obama At White House Gala
    President Barack Obama gave a shout-out to an Indian-American kid who recently made history by becoming the first person to earn a second Global Finalist award in the 2015 Google Science Fair.

    Pranav Sivakumar, Indian-American Kid Gets A Shout-Out From President Obama At White House Gala

    Hardeep Saini, Sikh Teacher In Britain Accused Of Unprofessional Conduct Towards The Students

    Hardeep Saini, Sikh Teacher In Britain Accused Of Unprofessional Conduct Towards The Students
    Hardeep Saini, former principal of Golden Hillock School, is accused of not taking appropriate steps when a teacher at Golden Hillock School told Muslim students that their religion is the "true religion" and people from other faiths were "ignorant".

    Hardeep Saini, Sikh Teacher In Britain Accused Of Unprofessional Conduct Towards The Students

    Indian Father Of Four Sacked For Friendly Kiss On Wife's Cheek In Britain

    Indian Father Of Four Sacked For Friendly Kiss On Wife's Cheek In Britain
    Martin Singh, 37, said he had been working in the breakdown recovery company RAC with his wife, Ruby, for two months. But greeting his wife with a friendly kiss cost him his job as a customer service manager

    Indian Father Of Four Sacked For Friendly Kiss On Wife's Cheek In Britain

    Mahatma Gandhi's Great-Granddaughter Faces Trial For Fraud In South Africa

    Mahatma Gandhi's Great-Granddaughter Faces Trial For Fraud In South Africa
    Ashish Lata Ramgobin, 45, appeared in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to the charge. She was released on $3,776 bail

    Mahatma Gandhi's Great-Granddaughter Faces Trial For Fraud In South Africa