Money will help exploited women and
children
Cynthia Sewell
11-13-2005
Original Article on the Idaho Statesman website
About
400 people used the music, dancing and feasting of Diwali ?
India's festival of lights celebrating the triumph of good over evil ?
to raise money to open a shelter in India for sexually exploited women
and their children.
William DeShazer / The Idaho Statesman
| Sowjanya Katam, left, and Sudha Vasudevan take part in a Tamil folk
dance based on the Tamil songs "Rendaka Rendaka" from the movie
"Anniyan." The Tamil dance is performed by women and
men. |
"Diwali really
means rows of light. Each
year small oil lamps are lit in homes across India to welcome Lakshmi,
the goddess of wealth," said Lalit Deshmukh, a volunteer with the Boise
chapter of Association for India's Development, which presents the
annual event.
Diwali is India's largest
celebration. The
majority of people who gathered at Meridian Middle School to celebrate
Diwali on Saturday were Indian.
Deshmukh estimated that about 500
Indian families live in the Treasure Valley. He said the event, now in
its fifth year, serves three purposes:
? To
provide local Indian families an opportunity to gather for a
traditional celebration.
? To raise money for social and welfare
projects in
India.
? To give non-Indians a chance to learn
about the culture, food and music of India.
The
evening's schedule included music and dance performances, a fashion
show and a feast of Indian food.
"From north to south to east to west, India
is an amalgam of
different cultures," said host Shveta Miglani.
William DeShazer / The Idaho
Statesman
|
Radhika Narsinghani, 6, of Boise, took part in two of dances at Diwali
Saturday. The first was Vandana, which depicted how Lord Krishna was
lost in the affection and love showered upon him by his mother. The
second dance was the Unity In Diversity, where children portray how
Diwali is celebrated in different states of
India. |
"What
better way to present this diversity than through the innocent hearts
of children who recognize no borders," Miglani said as she introduced a
troupe of young children clad in brilliantly colored clothing who
performed traditional Indian dances.
About The Association for India's
Development
The
Association for India's Development is a non-profit organization with
more than 40 chapters in the United States. The organization works to
alleviate poverty in rural India through education- and health-related
projects.
AID Boise, founded in 2001, has more than 20
volunteers.
Recent chapter accomplishments include:
?
Prenatal and delivery care for mothers and care for infants in 30
villages lacking clinical help.
? Support for 34
orphans from the 2001 Gujarat earthquake.
? Mobile clinical service and education
services to remote
tribal areas.
About Diwali
The
five-day Diwali celebration takes place during the Indian month Ashwin,
which occurs in October and November. People come together to celebrate
the triumph of good over evil and the renewal of life by decorating
their homes, lighting lamps and candles, exchanging sweets and
exploding firecrackers. |
