October 1, 2016 Indian Newslink Digital Edition

OCTOBER 1, 2016
West Auckland Indians plan Grand Diwali Fare
‘Ram Leela’ Group from Ayodhya due
Mahendra Sharma
Waitakere Indian
Association (WIA)
will celebrate its
annual Diwali
Mela at a new, convenient and
friendly venue this year.
This year’s Diwali will be held
on Sunday, October 23, 2016 at
Te Pai Netball Courts, located at
31-35 Te Pai Place, Henderson,
which is close to the Trusts
Stadium.
The WIA Diwali Mela will commence
at 11 am and conclude
with fireworks at 10 pm.
The origin of Diwali Mela in
West Auckland goes back to 2000
when Waitakere Indian Association
(WIA) held its first public
event at Corban Arts Centre in
Henderson.
Since then, the event has
been growing from strength to
strength to attract more than
10,000 visitors every year.
Bridge of Friendship
WIA Diwali Mela is a highly
popular event, focusing on
bringing together not only
people of Indian origin but also
other ethnicities resident in and
around Auckland.
Over the years, we have also
had the pleasure of welcoming
Ram Leela Group from Ayodhya India to perform at WIA Diwali 2016
people from other cities in New
Zealand. This event is seen as a
friendly and meaningful bridge
between the Indian Diaspora
and rest of Auckland.
One of the highlights of our
Diwali festivities is the staging
of ‘Ram Leela,’ a tribute to
Lord Rama (Incarnation of
Lord Vishnu, the Protector of
the Universe), whose return
to Ayodhya after vanquishing
the demon king Ravana of Sri
Lanka and rescuing his wife Sita
(who was held captive by Ravana)
is celebrated as Diwali. A
number of our children would
participate in this dance drama,
recapitulating the great Epic.
The UP Troupe
This year, we are privileged to
bring the Ram Leela group from
Ayodhya, located in the North
Indian State of Uttar Pradesh
to entertain the audience at the
Diwali Mela.
This group has performed
all over the world and will be
appearing at events in Australia
before coming to New Zealand.
Thereafter, the group will
travel to Fiji for performances.
Apart from ‘Ram Leela,’ WIA
Diwali Mela will feature a number
of Classical and Hindi film
music and dances, food stalls as
well as trade stalls.
WIA appreciates the continued
support of Henderson-Massey
& Whau Local Boards, Radio
Tarana, Portage Licensing Trust,
Travel Point, Tulip Financial
Services and Fresh Choice Glen
Eden.
Follow us on Facebook for up
to date
information https://www.
facebook.com/WaitakereIndianAssociation/
The following is an extract
from an article by former
WIA President and currently
Executive Committee Member
in Indian Newslink, September
15, 2014 issue.
Family Event
This event provides fun for
the whole family, with special
activities such as Sari Dressing,
Bollywood dance classes, Rangoli
and children’s amusement
area.
The overwhelming support
from Indian and wider
communities has inspired and
motivated WIA to consider ways
and means of enhancing the
scope and content of the event
year after year.
Varied significance
Diwali has great cultural, moral
and religious significance to
Hindus all over the world. The
Festival of Lights is celebrated in
a cordial atmosphere embracing
Indian culture and heritage. It
COMMUNITYLINK
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is the time for happiness, renewing
friendship and working
towards collective wellness and
joy.
This festival is also intended
to attract the wider Kiwi communities
to participate in the
event. While New Zealanders
of varied cultural background
and ethnicity have always lived
and worked together, until a
few years ago, there was little
opportunity for them to witness
and understand each other’s
culture and heritage.
Events such as Diwali play
an important part in bringing
people of different cultures,
religions and faiths together,
a process that is imperative in
today’s world.
Editor’s Note: In South India,
Diwali denotes ‘Narakachathurdasi,’
a celebration of
lighting lamps at homes and
public places, marking the
victory of Narakasura, a demon
killed by Lord Krishna (a
later Avatar of Lord Vishnu).
However, in many places in
India, the ‘Return of Rama’
theory is popular.
What: Diwali Festival
Who: Waitakere Indian Association
Where: Te Pai Netball Courts, 31-35 Te Pai Place,
Henderson, West Auckland
When: Sunday, October 23 from 11 am to 10 pm
Entry: Free for all
Contact: Mahendra Sharma on 027 661 3242