- By Arathi Cowlagi

The India Society of Worcester(ISW) and the Worcester Art Museum(WAM) celebrated the 10th annual Diwali community day, marking a decade of partnership and cultural exchange.

The festivities began with a lamp lighting ceremony led by ISW president, Dr Jagan Srinivasan, our pillars of ISW Dr Sahdev Passey & Carolyn Passey, Kent Russell, the president of the Board of trustees at WAM. This symbolized the spirit of unity and shared community that has defined this event over the years.

The cultural performances were the highlight of the day- vibrant, diverse and of exceptionally high quality. Visitors also enjoyed exploring the many activities around the museum like,

- “Learn about India” table setup by Carolyn Passey & Dr Sahdev Passey

- Engaging in friendly Chess games setup by Radhika Chintapalli

- Kandil lantern display in the Lancaster lobby handmade by Vijayendra & Rekha Cowlagi

- Diwali Storytime by Divya Muthu

- Admiring the beautiful Art Displays created by talented local artists - Susmitha Bando, Avni Chheda, Madhu Thube, Neha Ujlayan, Meenakshi Krishnamoorthy and Shrikant Savant

No celebration would be complete without great food! Visitors enjoyed the flavors of India with delicious dishes catered by Peppers Indian Cuisine of Northborough, artisanal ice cream from Tickett Ice cream and delicious Diwali sweets by Chaitrali’s Kitchen.

This milestone event that welcomed 1100 visitors to the museum, was a joyful reflection of ISW and WAM’s shared commitment to celebrating and sharing culture, coming together of community and creativity. It is indeed wonderful to see so many people from such diverse backgrounds come together to celebrate and enjoy the spirit of Diwali. Here’s to the next decade of light and celebration!

Click here to enjoy these beautiful captures of the event over the years by Troy B.Thompson Photography,

https://www.troybthompson.com/gallery-collection/India-Society-of-Worcester/C0000GY0U9VQqrBw