Page 34 - The Indian EYE 102221

NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline OCTOBER 22, 2021 | The Indian Eye 34

indo-american festivals holds grand

Dussehra festival at lake Papaianni Park

A 30-feet tall Ravana effigy made by Long Island-based artist Krishna Gopal Singhal with

his assistant Bacchu Bhai Patel; Ramleela choreographed by Varsha Naik

Our Bureau

Edison, NJ
ndo-American Festivals, Inc,
a NJ-based not-for-profit
Iorganization, organized the
23rd Grand Dussehra festival at
Lake Papaianni Park in Edison,
NJ, on Saturday, October 9. The
festivity drew more than 10,000
people throughout the day.
The main features of the
program were the cultural pro-
gram consisting of over 120
participants from various local
dance schools, the state-of-the-
art Ramleela that was choreo- year to bring this quality product
graphed and directed by Varsha for the public of tri-state.
Naik of Navrang Dance Acade- The main executive com-
my and most importantly, a 30- mittee consists of the following
feet tall Ravana effigy that was members: Chanchal Gupta, Raj
developed and built from con- Mittal, Atul Sharma, Dinesh Mit-
cept through implementation by tal, Varsha Naik, Pratibha Nich-
a local Long Island talented art- kavade, Ashwini Kumar, Ka-
ist Krishna Gopal Singhal with mal Daga, Sharad Agarwal, etc.
his assistant Bacchu Bhai Patel. The event was supported by
Though it was very cold at the New York Life, Vadi Lal, USA,
later part of the event and some ty leaders, and our sponsors were along with many attended the Hindi USA, Embassy Manor,
drizzle also started showering present during the lamp lighting. ceremony. Pandya Foundations, and oth-
but still thousands of people did Senator Sam Thompson, Indo-American Festivals has ers. “Our special thanks go to
not leave the ground without see- Edison councilman, Ajay Pa- been celebrating Dussehra festi- Middlesex County, Cultural and
ing the finale of the festivity that til, Sam Joshi, the Chief Guest, val for the last 23 years and this Arts Division for providing gen-
provide a message of Victory of Gulshan Chhabra and many is one of the biggest events in the erous grant that full fills a part of
Good over Evil, that was burn- other dignitaries along with our Tri-state area and it draws that the funding for this event. Last
ing of the Ravana effigy and the media partners, Radio Mirchi, many spectators. Organizing an but not least, we would have not
spectacular ground fireworks. Radio Zindagi, ITV, TV Asia, event of that magnitude with gathered that huge a crowd with-
The event started at 1 pm etc. were present. free admission and parking for out publicizing the event by ma-
and ended at about 8:30. The in- Many community leaders, thousands of spectators requires jor media sponsors such as ITV,
auguration ceremony started at Sudhir Parikh, Sunil Hali, Chan- a lot of planning and combina- Desi Talk, Radio Mirchi, Radio
5 pm with traditional lamp light- drakant Patel, Raj Pandya, Ajay tion. Our team of dedicated Zindagi, TV Asia, etc,” said the
ing. Many dignitaries, communi- Kumar CPA, Devendra Singh, volunteers work throughout the festival committee.

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