Diaspora celebrates Himachali culture at California event
Ravinder Sood
Palampur, April 25
The grandeur of Himachal Pradesh was on display at the Himachali Nite held in Sunnyvale, California, on Tuesday. The event was greatly appreciated and enjoyed by a large crowd — of both Himachali and non-Himachali descent — who came from all over the Bay Area.
It was an opportunity to display the culture of the state in all its vibrant colours, and inspire the children of the diaspora community to get connected with their roots.
The event showcased pahadi dances by young children, pahadi songs sung by talented Bay Area artistes and
natti performed with full gusto by the Bay Area Nati Group.
The beauty of Himachali weaves was also displayed at the fashion show held during the event.
To add more flavour to the night, traditional Himachali Dham was served and a live Siddu station was set up, tingling the taste buds of the guests.
“The Himachali Nite showcased a piece of the state that we, as NRIs, carry in our hearts even though we are far away from our homeland. It was well executed by the core organising team — Bhavna Satya, Vaishali Sharma, Shipra Butail, Pranav Sud, Kiran Guleria and Namrita Yuhanna. Such community events are only made possible when the entire community comes together,” said Vanshika Parmar, who spearheaded the organisation of the event.
“We hope to carry the legacy of our pristine state forward and inspire our children, who are born and brought up in the USA, to hold on to the beautiful traditions of Himachal Pradesh,” she added.