Much like the light and good it symbolizes, Diwali in Carmel is growing, taking over a larger space this year. Stop by Carter Green on Saturday, Oct. 18 to learn what it’s all about. (Photo provided)
By STU CLAMPITT
news@readthereporter.com
Last year, Carmel held its inaugural Diwali celebration, and the festival instantly outgrew the space set aside for it. This year’s Diwali is moving to Carter Green and promises to be both bigger and better. The Reporter spoke with Diwali Committee Chair and Carmel City Council Member Dr. Anita Joshi about what you can expect if you go to Carter Green on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 5 to 9 p.m. to help celebrate the triumph of good over evil symbolized as light overcoming the darkness.
Photo provided
“I think it was something that really came from the community,” Joshi told The Reporter. “There’s a lot of people moving into Carmel. We saw a desire from multiple smaller neighborhood festivals that were celebrating Diwali to come together and celebrate this together as a full community. It was really a community-driven process, and as a councilwoman, I thought it was the right time to represent everybody.”
Carmel sets aside time and space for a variety of cultural celebrations each year.
“What brings neighbors together and gets them to know each other and understand each other is to break bread together, share food together, share a good time together,” Joshi said. “It really seemed like the right thing to do. With the inaugural one, we did not know what to expect. When you put on a festival first, you actually don’t know what’s going to happen, and we had a huge attendance. We had it in Midtown Carmel, and it was fully packed. We just didn’t have enough room for people. I think we had around 5,000 people show up at that festival.”
Thus, the move to Carter Green this year.
“This is going to be a new experience for us to throw something that’s much bigger in size and scope than we had last year.”
Photo provided
Photo provided
Because parking in Carmel is always a challenge, and because there will be events at the Palladium and at the Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre, the Diwali Committee has arranged ample, nearby parking and even a shuttle service to help Diwali festivalgoers both have convenient access and also be good neighbors to the other organizations in the area.
Parking is available a short walk away at Carmel United Methodist Church, 621 S. Range Line Rd. You can also park at the Carmel High School stadium parking lot, 2450 E. 136th St., and take a quick, free shuttle ride to and from the festival.
“If you want to enjoy some of the best Indian food in town, if you want to come out and experience just an amazing array of performances from multiple different professional dance troupes in and around Carmel area, if you want to come and see a brand new Palladiscope show, or you want to see a little bit about the fashion and enjoy some of the jewelry and do some early Christmas shopping of some unique gift items, come on out and enjoy the festival,” Joshi said.
Photo provided
If you want to give back to the local community, a group called Seva Diwali will collect canned food during that event, which will go to the local food pantries.
“It’s good food, good music, great costumes, wonderful opportunities to engage with vendors and purchase things, and it should be just a lot of fun,” Joshi said.
Please don’t feel any need to get dressed up. Just come as you are to Diwali in Carmel on Oct. 18 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Carter Green.
