14th New Jersey Dushahra festival on October 7

Mr. Mangal Gupta and other Indo American Festival volunteers

Taking forward Indo American Festivals' founder and pillar of strength, Mr.Mangal Gupta's motto and vision, the New Jersey Dushahra festival enters into its 14th year with another edition of grand celebration at Lake Papaianni Park in Edison October 7th. With spiritual Sunderkand, entertaining cultural program, dazzling Ramleela, spectacular fireworks and 25 feet Ravan effigy, Dushahra 2012 promises to be a family event to cherish.

The event is presented in cooperation with the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir and Ultimate Media. Chanchal Mangal Gupta, the chairperson, says, "Unfortunately my husband passed away in July. The first Dashahra celebration was started by him in 1999. And it has only grown ever since. We have a strong organization with sincere volunteers working very hard for the success of the event. Our president is handling it very well."

Elaborating on the objective of organizing the Dashahra festival annually in a grand manner, Rajendra Prasad, the president and managing director, says, "The festival stands for the victory of good over evil and it is a great way to instill Indian culture and values in our children. They enjoy the burning of the effigy and the Ramlila."

Indo American Festivals is a nonprofit, volunteer based organization. More than 30 volunteers have actively worked to put across another grand event. Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is the exclusive broadcast partner in the US and India. "The event is free for all and will go on from 1 PM to 9 PM. SET insisted that we give free admission," says Gupta.

The festival this year will pay homage to Mangal Gupta by observing one minute of silence.

Mamta Narula, who heads Ultimate Media, an integrated promotional marketing and advertising firm operating nationally out of New Jersey is leading the sales and marketing efforts for the event. "It is one of the biggest events every year and on the lines of the one done in New Delhi. It has grown to receiving 15000 people visiting. It is a family affair with the program starting around noon with children's cultural programs. We have one and half to two hours dance drama 'Ramlila', a 40 minutes reception hour to honor dignitaries and sponsors followed by Ravan Dahan, the burning of 25 feet effigy brought from India and partly made here. There are plenty of booths, rides and activities lined up with something of interest for everyone," says Narula. "Mr.Mangal Gupta was the most energetic guiding force. He was very well connected and it was through his networking that the event grew manifolds. Now that he is not there it is our responsibility to keep working the way he wanted us to," says Narula.

[ BY lavanya garikina ]