By Poonam Chabra and Manjeet Singh
It’s that time of the year again—the Indian Association of South County’s annual Diwali mega event is here!
IASC is a nonprofit organization and an initiative of the Indian community living in south Santa Clara County. The organization’s mission is to encourage, promote and strengthen community spirit, while at the same time celebrate, share and showcase India’s rich heritage, culture and traditions.
Over the last several years, IASC has been organizing events celebrating some of the most popular annual Indian festivals (like Holi and Diwali) and landmark historical events (like the Indian and US Independence Days).
This year’s event celebrating the festival of Diwali is scheduled to be held from 4:30pm to 10:30pm Nov. 17, at Oakwood School in Morgan Hill (105 John Wilson Way).
About 500 attendees—including guests from across the Indian and many other communities in Santa Clara County as well as distinguished city officials from Morgan Hill and Gilroy—are expected to attend the event.
It may be fair to say that Diwali, or “Deepawali,” is India’s biggest festival. It gets its name from the row (“avali”) of clay lamps (“deep”) that Indians light outside their homes on this auspicious day, and hence is also known as the Festival of Lights. Diwali is celebrated by most Indians, regardless of their faith and/or religious inclination, though different regions of India interpret the reason for the celebration differently. However, in all interpretations one common thread rings true: the festival marks the victory of good over evil, and of inner light over spiritual darkness.
IASC’s Diwali event includes dances and cultural performances showcasing the rich and diverse Indian culture and traditions, a sumptuous spread of Indian cuisine and open-to-all dancing to hit Bollywood music. The cultural show participants range from little children through adults and seniors.
IASC encourages and welcomes everyone to join in and enjoy the celebration!
Poonam Chabra and Manjeet Singh are members of the executive committee of the Indian Association of South County. To purchase tickets for the Diwali celebration in Morgan Hill, and for more information about IASC, visit iascinfo.com.
