The Alamora community in Tarneit hosted one of Melbourne’s largest Diwali celebrations at Feronia Avenue Park on Saturday, November 9.
A crowd of over 800 people turned out to enjoy a dazzling display of fireworks, live music, artistic displays and culinary excellence in the South Asian spectacle.
Indian folk, Bollywood, classical and mainstream dance, a Bollywood workshop, roving drummers, fire twirlers, henna tattoos, rangoli pattern-making delighted the close-knit community.
All that moving and grooving sparked an inevitable appetite, making Indian staples like tandoori sliders, samosas, chickpea masala and sweet treats like gulab jamun all the more satisfying.
Villawood spokesperson Eilish Costelloe said that the estate developer worked hard to organise the event for an important and rapidly growing community.
“Alamora in Tarneit is a vibrant new community with a strong Indian presence – hundreds of people who share a wonderful and rich culture,” she said.
“That’s why we hosted this Diwali celebration. And we were delighted to see so many people, so many families, parents, kids, all come together. “We think it’s really important. Most of all, it’s great fun.”
An important date on the Hindu calendar and observed in other South Asian religions such as Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism, Diwali is also known as the festival of lights is a celebration of good triumphing over evil.
Ms Costelloe said Diwali was “ a wonderful time of year when people can come together as a community to celebrate so many great things within their culture.”
Jaidyn Kennedy
