FNB Gauteng Diwali Festival celebrates in Newtown

Event Date: 15 October 2011

Published by Business and Arts South Africa

The FNB Gauteng Diwali Festival will once again illuminate Newtown’s Mary Fitzgerald Square with an array of traditional song, dance, culture and cuisine on Saturday, 15 October 2011.

Also known as the Festival of Lights, it is hosted by the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, endorsed by the City of Johannesburg and sponsored by First National Bank.

The FNB Gauteng Diwali Festival is considered one of the most vibrant events on the local cultural calendar, and has proved extremely popular amongst Indian communities living in the province – while also appealing to those who are keen to experience the many colourful facets of Hindu culture.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Light up the World”. According to Ashwin Trikamjee, president of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, “This year’s theme is based on the intrinsic symbol of Deepavali, the diya. A diya gives light to the world and does not discriminate as to who gets the light. Regardless of religion, race and belief system, everyone benefits from its light.

“As human beings, we must do things that will not only benefit ourselves or our families, but all of mankind. This way of living brings out the Hindu way of life – of brotherly love and harmony – which we would like to share with all those who visit the FNB Gauteng Diwali Festival, regardless of culture or creed,” adds Mr Trikamjee.

“In 2009, FNB saw an opportunity to sponsor the event and over the years has seen the festival grow to become one of the largest attended events for people living in the Gauteng province,” says Bobby Madhav, CEO: Global Business for FNB.
“As a proudly South African bank with roots that extend into several other African countries, we are confident that the FNB Gauteng Diwali Festival will continue to celebrate cultural diversity and tolerance within our communities and illustrate our renewed
commitment to the festival.”

A diverse and exciting mix of food and retail stalls, as well as entertainment ranging from Bollywood dancing to Bengali folk music, has been secured to make the festivities extra-memorable for visitors. Among the highlights are performances by the Drisha Music Academy, Tribhangi Dance Theatre, Moving into Dance Mophatong, Natya Anjali, Jagaat, and Greg Georgiades and Ashish Joshi.

Visitors can immerse themselves in song, dance and bargain shopping, while alluring exotic aromas waft through the Square, tempting all and sundry into sampling the traditional cuisine on offer. Kids and adults can also take part in fun activities such as clay lamp and henna painting, as well as lending their artistic talents to creating a giant Rangoli – a decorative artwork.

This day of activity and entertainment will be topped off by a spectacular 18-minute fireworks display.

The 2010 event attracted more than 15,000 people and this year’s festival promises to be bigger, better and even more vibrant. Don’t miss it – entrance is free! Bring the whole family to experience the incomparable vibe of this festival with its myriad cultural activities and attractions.

Visit www.diwalifestival.co.za for more information and regular updates.

The South African Hindu Maha Sabha would like to thank the following sponsors for their invaluable support of the FNB Gauteng Diwali Festival: First National Bank, SWAD Restaurant, Eastern Mosaic/SABC 2, Saffron TV, SA India Magazine Jet Airways, Fidelity Security Lotus FM and Zee TV.