UKHCA 2022 - Annual Brochure

Sharodiya Durga Puja 2022
শারদীয়া দুর্গোৎসব ১৪২৯
Royal Ascot in Sarees - The UKHCA Experience (Roshmi Kumar)
At one of our afternoon tea and adda sessions during our Durga Puja last year , our very own Dipti ,
spoke about her dream of organising a group of women who would attend the Ladies day at Royal Ascot
showcasing our sarees, a symbol of India and a representative traditional clothing of the Indian subcontinent.
The term ‘Ladies Day’ seems to have been first used in 1823, when an anonymous poet described
the Thursday of the five day Royal event as when “the women, like angels, look sweetly divine”. Each
day at Royal Ascot begins with a Royal Procession, and six races throughout the day, with Ladies’ Day
having the renowned Gold Cup race.
Dipti had already set her idea in motion with several other ladies’ groups but the plans were in the embryonic
stages at that point. The idea was to raise awareness about the artisans in India, showcase their
brilliant weaves and raise funds to support them as many had suffered setbacks during the pandemic.
Enthused and encouraged by the idea and the noble cause, the UKHCA ladies decided to join the event
and so began the months of planning and discussions! The ladies discussed what weaves they were
going to wear, organisation of travel, seating, picnics and most importantly, unique to this event, the
choice of a fascinator, hatinator or a hat to match their sarees. There is adherence to a strict dress code
at Ascot which has to be considered and wearing headgear is traditional. In the days leading up to the
event Dipti and the organisers had asked ladies to form colour-coded groups in the hues of the Rainbow
and women would join specific groups in the colour of their sarees. The idea was to display the sarees
and their pallus in their colour coded groups.
There were ladies attending from various parts of the UK in groups, with an estimated number of 1000
women in total ,including some attending from India, America and the Middle east.
The thursday 16th June 2022 was a beautiful, warm summer’s day, absolutely perfect for our trip to Ascot.
Our extended group from Kent , including our UKHCA ladies, all travelled up together on a coach.
It was a very enjoyable experience with chitter chatter, singing songs and singalongs and laughter all
the way, as if we were all on a school trip.
When we arrived at the Windsor enclosure, it was absolutely amazing to see a vast expanse of colour
which arose from the hundreds of ladies all in their colourful Sarees and Fascinators. There were
weaves on display from various corners of India and each one had a story to tell! The atmosphere was
electrifying with live bands playing music, food stalls everywhere, the delightful aroma of the barbeques
and the buzz of the crowds. It was great to witness the Royal procession prior to the races commencing
and finally the races. Some amongst us went on to bet on their favourite horses whilst others
relaxed, soaked up the atmosphere, picnicked and enjoyed the company of friends. All the ladies looked
very glamorous and it was truly a historical day for our beloved sarees to be recognised and appreciated
at a truly quintessential British event! So much so that, we caught the attention of the media and the
story was featured on several news channels and newspapers, both in the UK and overseas. The main
UK Hindu Cultural Association
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