WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, October 22, 2008: The Diwali Festival of Lights 2008, a 10-day program of events celebrating all the exciting colors, sounds and spicy aromas of India, is well under way. Asia New Zealand and the Wellington City Council have joined forces to produce the festival, bringing artists from India to join top local performers for a number of spectacular shows. Other events will include exhibitions, movie screenings and the ever-popular Radio Tarana Bollywood Dance Competition. The program will culminate in the Diwali Festival Mela at the TSB Bank Arena on October 26, with delicious food, crafts and non-stop entertainment for the whole family–a heady mix of spicy scents and colors. Families can sample tasty curries from dozens of food stalls, watch authentic Indian entertainment, including joyous Bollywood dancers, and browse the colorful craft stalls. Diwali or Deepavali (literally ‘a row of lamps’) is among the most ancient and important festivals in Indian culture. It is informally known as “the Festival of Lights;” families celebrate by lighting candles and small oil lamps (known as diyas) around the home and setting off firecrackers and fireworks. The festival is being celebrated in Wellington for the seventh year and has become an annual highlight of Wellington’s events calendar.
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