India’s foremost festival will be brought to light in Motueka for the first time this month.
Following its resplendency at Richmond and Nelson by event organiser Experience India, Diwali will make its Motueka debut at Decks Reserve on 22 November from 11am to 2pm.
Organiser Anjali Puri says a small discussion at the Motueka Library last year about the Indian festival, which celebrates light over darkness in October and November, was a lightbulb moment for a more luminous showcase in the town.
“I’ve done [Diwali] for the last three years, so I know it’s getting well received in the Nelson and Richmond community, so taking it further to another place is an experiment,” she says.
“Being an Indian, that’s my strength. If I can bring people together through this colourful and positive festival, it’s another reason to celebrate and bring smiles to people’s faces.
“I know a couple of families basically in Motueka, and they know about the festival, and they are very enthusiastically waiting for it, just to celebrate in their own neighbourhood.”
Anjali says there will be vegetarian food stalls, jewellery stalls, craft activities, Hindu music and a makeshift Hindu temple, and Bollywood performances by non-Indian group, Farah Fusion.
“I found it very respectful. I’m very excited to know that people are taking a step further to learn the steps and know the music and how we dress up,” she says.
“Once we have this first [festival], I want to learn from this and make it bigger so that we can give more opportunities to the community to come and celebrate their own festival.”
The event is supported by Multicultural Nelson Tasman, Motueka Library, Tasman District Council, Rātā Foundation, and NBS.
