Diwali Gala
A little slice of India made its way to Monroe Nov. 1, as organizers staged the annual Diwali Gala at the B.D. Robinson Conference Hall of the Monroe Civic Center. Diwali is one of the largest annual celebrations in Hindu culture, and it features prominently the exchange of gifts.
Diwali is celebrated for five days, with continuous activities throughout the celebration. The third night is the largest of the celebrations, and is known as “The Festival of Lights.”
In addition to Indian cuisine provided by Taste of India, visitors also browsed a bazaar and enjoyed Indian arts and crafts, including a large Diwali mandala crafted entirely of colored rice.
- Vanelis Rivera, Arely Castillo and Gabby Landres
- Krunali Bhagat and Satveer Kaur
- Olivia Remsberg and Brittney Lindsey
- Back row: Hansin Tatuskar, Samantha Roby and Sushma Kshirsagar; Front row: Princess Tatuskar, Neharika Roby and Ishwari Kshirsagar
- Nandini Sunkireddy, Sookham Dhaliwal, Simran Emaus and Alpha Patel
- Wendy Napoli, Lynn Clark, JoJo Clark and Beth Ricks
- Vivek Gullapalli and Arjun Dhaliwal









