More than 2,000 people attended the Arts4All Foundation’s annual Diwali and Navaratri Festival and Parade on October 10 at the historic World’s Fair Unisphere in Queens, according to a press statement from the foundation.
Held under the theme “Unity through Light,” the free event brought together community organizations, public officials, performers, and families for cultural programs, a parade, and health and financial information services.
The foundation said the annual celebration honors the traditions of Diwali and Navaratri while highlighting New York’s cultural diversity and promoting peace, inclusion, and community service. This year’s gathering was its largest to date, according to the statement.
Dr. Sumita SenGupta, the foundation’s founder and the event’s organizer, said the celebration sought to bring communities together through shared traditions and public service.
Advertisement
“The gift of Diwali and Navaratri is the power to come together and illuminate our communities by lighting the Diya lamp of knowledge, truth, and hope to give us the resilience and strength to overcome our challenges, differences, and inequities,” SenGupta said.
“It is our hope that our Navaratri and Diwali celebrations will continue to inspire communities to unite in honoring their rich cultural traditions and ideals to make a positive impact in uplifting people and our world.”
According to the statement, the foundation served more than 2,000 meals featuring dishes from different regions of India. Food contributors included Punjabi Dhaba, Santoor Indian Restaurant, Taste of Italy Pizzeria, Hindu Center, The Sikh Cultural Society Inc., Baba Makhan Shah Lubana Sikh Center, Guru Nanak Darbar of Long Island, Harry Sweets and Snack, and Lala Sharma.
Activities included face painting, henna, Diwali sticker designs, rangoli artwork, yoga, books, and games. Shree Devi SenGupta, dressed as Goddess Durga, and Krishna Maruti SenGupta, portraying baby Gopal Krishna, shared stories associated with the festivals and distributed toys, balloons, and chocolate coins to children. The foundation said they handed out 2,000 toys, 2,000 balloons, and 1,000 chocolate coins.
Shree Devi SenGupta, Sanandha Thani, and Chhayal Vaghela managed the arts and crafts stations.
The festival also offered access to community services. Citizens Bank, Citibank, New York Life, Sofiteq, and Grow Infinite Financial Solutions provided financial guidance and technology training, the statement said. NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst and Mount Sinai Hospital Queens offered free checkups and medical support, while Health First provided health insurance information.
Stage presentations included singing, dance performances, and a fashion show representing traditions from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Caribbean. The program highlighted South Asian and Indo-Caribbean cultural expression through traditional and contemporary performances.
Public figures listed as attending included New York City Comptroller Mark Levine, New York State Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas, New York City Councilmember Shekar Krishnan, Assemblymen Edward Braunstein and Steven Raga, District Leader-at-Large Hersh Parikh, and County Civil Court judicial candidate Edmond Wong.
Aniket Mondal, identified in the statement as chief of staff for the Consulate General of India in New York, and YiLing Li, president of the UCT International Culture Development Center, also participated.
Levine spoke about the festivals’ themes of light, knowledge, and service.
“Diwali and Navaratri inspire all of us to be the light in our community that brings hope, peace, and goodwill through our work and service,” he said.
González-Rojas highlighted the role of South Asian and Indo-Caribbean traditions in the borough’s community life.
“The South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities’ rich tapestry of cultures and traditions is what makes Queens so vibrant, and the Diwali and Navaratri celebrations have become an integral part of our shared communal life,” she said.
Raga presented SenGupta with a proclamation recognizing her community service, according to the statement.
“Here in Queens, the World’s Borough, we are honored to have leaders like Dr. Sumita SenGupta, who embodies the theme of light prevailing over darkness through her advocacy and service,” he said.
Braunstein described the annual gathering as an opportunity for residents to celebrate South Asian and Indo-Caribbean heritage.
“Every year, this beautiful public festival brings together our families, friends, and neighbors to celebrate the rich cultural traditions of our South Asian and Indo-Caribbean community,” he said.
Krishnan thanked the foundation for organizing a free, inclusive event and emphasized the contributions of New Yorkers from different backgrounds.
“Diwali and Navaratri remind us that we are a city strengthened by the contributions of all of our people,” he said.
The parade began at sunset with a walking procession that included a Jagannath Rath Yatra. Participants performed Garba around the Unisphere, carrying colorful dandiya sticks and diya lights, according to the statement.
The celebration concluded with a diya aarti ceremony before representations of Shri Ganesha, Shri Panchmukhi Hanuman, Shri Durga, and Shri Jagannath.
