MGS organises ‘Diwali Mela’

MUSCAT: Muscat Gujarati Samaj, popularly known as MGS, the Gujarati Wing of Indian Social Club Oman recently organised its flagship annual event, the Diwali Mela at Al Bahja Hall in Qurum, setting off the week-long Diwali festivities.

Diwali is by far the most popular festival of India and also known as the Festival of Lights. It is extremely popular not just in India but across the Indian Diaspora living all across the world. The festival of Diwali is celebrated with pomp and gaiety coming together and exchanging greetings of wellbeing within their family, friends and community. The annual MGS Diwali Mela served this very purpose and offered a host of opportunities for members to display their culinary skills as well as their creativity at art, craft & clothing which was on showcase for a huge turnout of visitors at the venue.

The Indian Ambassador, Indramani Pandey attended the occasion as the chief guest for the event and the other dignitaries were Kanak Khimji, Kiran Asher, Anil Khimji, Anil Vader, Rajendra Ved, Arvind Toprani, Rakesh Adhlaka, First Secretary of Embassy of India and Rao, the principal of Indian School Wadi Kabir.

Overall there were more than 50 stalls displaying a mix of food, clothing and artefacts but the unique attraction of all was a group of children who had collected few used storybooks and informative literature which were distributed to the visitors in return for some donation, entire proceeds of which would be passed on for the good cause.

True festive spirit was on display by way people gathering in huge numbers to exchange pleasantries as well as festive greetings. Unique to the event was a life photography stall where instant portrait photographs were printed, framed and handed over to the visitors in the form of a memento.

Chandrakant Chothani, convener of the Samaj thanked all the participants, sponsors, all committee members and volunteers for making the event a grand success.