The India Association of Rhode Island held its Annual Diwali fest on October 26, 2019 at the West Warwick High School Auditorium in West Warwick, RI. The cultural program was a beautiful amalgam of Bollywood, Folk and classical dances. 

After the traditional lamp lighting, the program began in right earnest. There were over a 100 performers of all ages. While the young kids were of course very talented and had put a lot of effort into the program, it was wonderful to see many adults who brought alive their passion for dance in many of performances. 

Bhangra, Maharashtrian  dances, Rajasthani Goomar and dances from other states made the cultural program a true representation of the diversity of India. Rocking Bollywood  numbers were performed with high energy. There even was a lovely Indo-Chinese fusion. 

The run of show was seamless. Local town officials and cultural coordinators were invited to the event and appreciated the event.  The event ended with the honoring of the volunteers who had put in several hours to make the program a grand success. 

Rhode Island is a small state but the Indians in the state have made their presence felt in the state. There are temples in Rhode Island and the Indian Cultural scene is pretty vibrant. That vibrancy shone through beautifully in the Diwali Fest.