Vedic Global Celebrates Virtual Diwali Dhamaka
The 2020 pandemic did not dampen the spirits of Diwali (Festival of lighting) celebrations globally. And it was no different here in Melbourne where Vedic Global celebrated its first-ever Diwali, aptly titled Diwali Dhamaka! No doubt, for the safety and wellbeing of everyone, the event was virtual but judging by the global participation and applauds, it was a mesmerising event sponsored by Gaura Travels.
The event on 28 November was kicked off by Monica Raizada and Archana Koorthy who were both Master of Ceremony (MC) for the evening’s proceedings. Rakesh Raizada, as a co-founder of Vedic Global, passionately spoke about the different activities Vedic Global has successfully accomplished since its inception a few months ago.
Prayers were offered by Priest Oum Prakash Sharma. A presentation of the importance of Diwali was delivered by the enthusiastic Rizul Bharadwaj, a student of Vedic Vidya Mandir. This was followed by an introduction of Yoga and the significance of bowing before the sun every morning (Surya Namaskar) by another Vedic Vidya Mandir student Paarth Khanna. Vidya Mandir’s students also recited Vedic shlokas (verses). A video of a Rangoli (coloured) art form was also played with some great designs by Sahira Sharma.
Many classical and folk performances were delivered by students of Rachana Natyalaya, a prominent dance school. Two of their students gave a dance performance in the Bharatanatyam style, performing to a song in praise of Lord Shiva. Other students from the school performed to groovy dance numbers. However, the highlight was a brilliantly choreographed Bollywood song in which all students in dazzling outfits danced collectively at an offsite location. A dance competition was also held with prizes sponsored by Aussizz Tax and Juice Veda.
Wyndham Council Councillors (Cr Peter Maynard and Cr Susan McIntyre) were also in attendance, and in their speeches, they encouraged the performers, spoke about the need for such events, and said they are looking forward to participating in face-to-face events next year. Fingers crossed! Chidambaram Srinivasan, ex Victorian Multicultural Commissioner, and an ardent supporter of Vedic Global’s activities said he enjoyed watching the young performers passionately absorbing and displaying Vedic values through different art forms. Hon Raj Kumar (Consul General of India)’s speech acknowledging the event and the significance of Diwali was readout for the audience.
And, it wasn’t just children who performed. Melodious songs were also sung by Madhuri Vasa, Prabhakar Agraja, Narinder Arora and Raveena. Kohinoor Bollywood Dance Group and NB Dance Group also performed to some scintillating numbers, which were thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. A five-year-old girl (Kaasni Arora) from India performed a Laxmi Aarti (Goddess of Wealth prayer) that left everyone spellbound with her delivery and confidence.
Finally, a vote of thanks was delivered by Rakesh Raizada in which he thanked the MCs, the executive committee, the performers, the audience, the volunteers, the dignitaries and the sponsors. It is worth highlighting that performances for the event were submitted from India, Malaysia and Japan too, making this an event that transcended geographical borders. In summary, this was an event that not only provided wholesome entertainment but more importantly linked the importance of Vedic values in our day-to-day life and how those values are passed on to younger generations here in Melbourne and elsewhere globally evidenced by over 5,400 views on FB within two days.
