Buchmuller Park was a riot of joyous colors and music on Sunday, Oct. 11 as Secaucus celebrated its sixth annual Diwali Mela. Attendees enjoyed food from local vendors, visited stands selling clothing and jewelry, and participated in cultural programs and trivia contests to earn valuable prizes.
Four restaurants have sponsored the event from inception: Dhoom and Mausam from Secaucus, and China Spice and Sri Ganesh Dosa House from Jersey City. All were busy supplying the crowd with a wide variety of delicacies, both vegetarian and carnivorous, throughout the afternoon.
The stage was continuously busy with singers, performers, and even an 11-year-old comedian, with the audience joining the festivities for bouts of exuberant dancing onstage and in the aisles.
“Every year we try to nourish the core values of the Indian Caucus of Secaucus, which is about caring and sharing,” said Caucus President Rajesh Nagpal at the reception, noting that the group not only held events like Diwali, Holi, and Dandiya, but supported the local community by sponsoring a soccer team, donating to the Secaucus Volunteer Firefighters Association and Secaucus Emergency Fund, giving toys to needy children, and participating in town-sponsored events like the Memorial Day Parade and street fair.
“I wanted Americans to come and see this…. They should see the culture, they should enjoy the food. It’s all about being one and being together.” – Aanchal Aggarwal
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Diwali, the “festival of lights,” is a traditional Hindu festival celebrating the victory of light over darkness.
“If you’re residents here or you’re visitors here or you’re family of people that live here, you’re all welcome here always,” Gonnelli told the crowd. The event was initially held six years ago during his first year as mayor and has grown exponentially ever since. “We wish you the very best and we just hope that this continues to grow each and every year,” he said.
Vendors from near and far
Clothing vendors came from as far away as Florida to set up tables at the event, selling custom-made saris.
Local resident Vandana Mishra offered a vibrant selection of Indian scarves. “Some are handmade, some are machine made,” she said. “Pure silk, semi-silk.”
Mishra launched her first “Vandy’s Line” collection of traditional and trendy apparel and accessories at the event. Her father-in-law handles the business aspect of the company in India, while Mishra promotes his products globally. For more information visit the Vandy’s Line Facebook page.
Ish Kaur from Bayonne brought his Zarkan Clothing line to Secaucus for Diwali, setting up a booth with a vast array of multi-hued finery. “This is amazingly good,” he enthused about the event, which he heard about while involved in a Diwali celebration last year in New York City. Zarkan Clothing can be found on Facebook.
Imama Mahmood, a student at Secaucus Middle School, attended the event with her dad, Ansar. Asked what was the best part of the event, she said, “All the dresses and stuff,” before reconsidering. “And the music. And the food.”
“We were living in Brooklyn for a long time,” said her dad, who moved to Secaucus four years ago and attended the Diwali festival for the first time last year. “We never saw anything like this in Brooklyn.”
Aanchal Aggarwal moved to Secaucus from India with her husband and young daughter just a month and a half ago. “I really love this place,” she said. “It’s quite safe. I love the library, the pool, the tot center. And it’s an easy commute.”
Regarding the Diwali festival she said, “The best part is I saw mixed cultures here. I wanted Americans to come and see this. It’s very important. They should see the culture, they should enjoy the food. It’s all about being one and being together.”
“I tried something new, said Sophie Mo, eating at a picnic table with her one-year-old son Vincent. “I don’t know the name. I’m not very used to this type of food. The dumplings were good.” Her favorite aspect of the event? “I love the color.”
Geetika Gupta and family moved to Secaucus less than eight months ago from India. Best part of the festival? “The clothing. We haven’t seen these clothes outside of India,” she said happily.
Her husband Sachin favored another part of the event. “The performances,” he said.
Kool culture
“I love performing,” said Vasudha Saxena, a local resident who performed a spirited dance onstage. She has seen the event grow and expand over the years. “It’s getting better. People are more involved now. They’re coming from different groups to perform.”
Sid Joshi moved to Secaucus seven years ago from India to work in Jersey City. His daughter Swara, 6, performed in a mythological play at the Diwali event. “She goes to vocal classes at Kulture Kool in Rutherford,” he said. “Before she started school she used to go there for day care.”
Kulture Kool, an Indian Cultural Center for children and adults, is dedicated to developing creative potential in the performing arts. They arranged for much of the entertainment at the event. At their table they handed out pamphlets for upcoming classes like the music programs and the robotics workshop for kids ages 10 to 16.
“They’ll actually build a robot and then they’ll program it,” said Kulture Kool cofounder Archana Athalye. “Then they’ll combat. It’s called a sumo robot. They come up with great ideas and do some really cool stuff.”
Athalye’s son Arjun, 11, was among the performers at the event, offering a set of rapid-fire standup comedy. “He’s been coming to the theater classes that we offer at Kulture Kool,” said mom. “And he’s decided that stand-up is his thing. He writes his own stuff. He’s always on. His science teacher says, ‘Can he not be a clown in my class?’”
Visit kulturekool.com for more information on classes and workshops.
Art Schwartz may be reached at arts@hudsonreporter.com.