India's Diwali Festival of Lights
Amstelveen will host the day-long Diwali Festival of Lights on 30 October 2010, celebrating the strong ties between the Indian community and the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area.
Celebrate Indian culture
The festival starts at noon with a spectacular performance by an Indian Dhol drum ensemble and Dandiya dancing group, and will culminate in spectacular fireworks at 19:00. Dhol drumming dates back to the 15th century, and Daniya dancing is a traditional folk dance form.
Amstelveen's city square will be transformed for the second consecutive year into an Indian fairground, offering traditional Indian music and dance, Bollywood and classical, and of course, Indian cuisine.
The festival is organised by amsterdam inbusiness and KPMG, one of the largest professional services firms in the world, in cooperation with several other companies.
Activities
Workshops for adults and children include learning how to tie a sari or turban, the art of painting a Diwali light in the Shamyana tent or face painting as a prince or princess character from the One Thousand and One Nights fairytale.
Festival of Lights
The Diwali Festival of Lights is celebrated on a nation-wide scale on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin, (October/ November) every year. It symbolises that age-old culture of India which teaches to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge. Diwali, the Festival of Lights even today in this modern world projects the rich and glorious past of India. Diwali, or row of lights, is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs.
Strengthen relations
The aim of the festival is to honour the diversity of cultures in the Amsterdam Area while strengthening relations with Indian expats in the region. The Diwali Festival is a great opportunity to bring native Dutch residents and the Indian community together.
Indian expat community
Indian companies in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area have tripled in recent years. The Indian expat community is the fastest growing in the region and is estimated to number between 5,000 and 6,000 people.
For more information about the Diwali Festival of Lights in Amstelveen visit the Diwali Festival website.
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