As Diwali approaches, this widely celebrated festival is embraced with enthusiasm and grandeur, both in India and across the world. While preparations are in full swing in India, residents of San Antonio, Texas, in the USA recently had a splendid pre-Diwali festival of their own.
San Antonio residents gathered in great numbers on Saturday to commemorate the rich traditions of India at the 15th annual Diwali San Antonio festival. The event took place at the Arneson River Theatre and Hemisfair.
The event brought together thousands of people to revel in the 'festival of lights' through a splendid showcase of traditional Indian dance, captivating entertainment, delectable cuisine, and exquisite crafts.
This celebration holds immense significance in Indian culture as it signifies the victory of light over darkness and the triumph of knowledge over ignorance.
"I’m very proud of the story above because it’s from my home town of San Antonio, Texas. For the past 15 years, the city’s Indian diaspora has been celebrating Diwali by using their sister city alliance with Chennai. The celebration includes communities from all over India. The city government has been sponsoring and continues to highlight its ties to India. This is a great example of US-India people-to-people ties. And it continues to introduce Americans to India’s wonderful culture," said Greg Pardo, Spokesperson, US Consulate General in Mumbai.
Organized as a collaborative effort between the City of San Antonio and Anuja SA, a nonprofit organization established to foster the sister city alliance between San Antonio and Chennai, India (a partnership inaugurated in 2008), the festival typically draws impressive crowds, with attendance ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 enthusiastic participants.
