The vibrant cultural heritage of Uttarakhand came alive at Mount Roskill War Memorial this week at an event organised by Uttarakhand Association of New Zealand (UANZ).
The July 15 event celebrated Grand Harela Mela, a festival that marks the onset of the monsoon season and the harvest in the Uttarakhand region of India. This year's celebration held special significance as the association commemorated its remarkable journey of growth and service, completing a successful decade of fostering cultural ties within the Kiwi-Indian community.
The event endeavoured to recreate the spirit of Harela Mela within the New Zealand landscape. It attracted nearly 200 people from the Kiwi-Indian community and beyond.
Talking to The Indian Weekender, Ramya Negi, Vice-President of UANZ, said, “Our primary focus has always been to preserve the rich cultural heritage of Uttarakhand through our various cultural celebrations as a part of our community service.
Harela is a significant festival for our community, and this year, we wanted to make it even more special as we celebrate our association's first decade of service."
The event's highlights included the felicitation of dignitaries and founding members of the association, recognising their invaluable contributions to the community.
The evening also saw the launch of the commemorative booklet titled ‘The Journey – Uttarakhand Association of New Zealand’, capturing the association's decade-long journey of service and achievements.
The event showcased the cultural diversity of India with mesmerising multicultural performances that enthralled the audience. Attendees were treated to a delightful array of traditional and contemporary performances, celebrating the essence of India's unity through its diverse cultures.
The festival's atmosphere was further enriched by various multicultural food and accessory stalls, providing a taste of the diverse cuisines and traditional crafts from different regions of India.
Among the distinguished guests were parliamentarians Melissa Lee, Damien Smith and Michael Wood, who joined the celebration to show their support for the Kiwi-Indian community.
The event also witnessed the presence of eminent diaspora leaders, including Jeet Suchdev, Vai Ravindran, Prakash Biradar, Narendra Bhana, and Neha Nalawade.
Negi said the event received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the wider community. Attendees, hailing from Uttarakhand and other states, expressed their delight in experiencing the rich cultural heritage of India and the warmth of community engagement during the event.
“As immigrants, such festivals play a vital role in helping our future generations understand and appreciate India's traditions and cultural legacy. Events like these promote cross-cultural knowledge exchange and foster unity among the diverse communities residing in New Zealand."
Sharing the same sentiment, one of the attendees, Namrata Sharma, said, "It was a pleasure being part of Harela Mela organised by UANZ. There were such amazing dance performances and yummy food. I enjoyed myself.”
The event culminated with attendees dancing to traditional songs that continued until 11pm, signifying the celebrations' jubilant spirit and lasting impact.
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