Diwali was celebrated in Los Alamos Nov. 2 at Trinity On the Hill. Courtesy photo

Diwali was celebrated in Los Alamos Nov. 2 at Trinity On the Hill. Courtesy photo

Diwali was celebrated in Los Alamos Nov. 2 at Trinity On the Hill. Courtesy photo

Diwali was celebrated in Los Alamos Nov. 2 at Trinity On the Hill. Courtesy photo

Diwali was celebrated in Los Alamos Nov. 2 at Trinity On the Hill. Courtesy photo

BY HARSHINI MUKUNDAN

Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, was celebrated with enthusiasm in Los Alamos on Saturday (Nov. 2) at Trinity on the Hill Church.

More than 180 Los Alamos residents of varying ethnicity and origins came together to celebrate this Indian festival, capturing the true spirit of America in the process. The event included a fully catered Indian meal from the India House Restaurant in Santa Fe, which was relished and enjoyed by all the attendees.

Diwali is a spectacle of fireworks and light in India. In keeping with that tradition, our local event also saw a burst of crackers and fireworks, which delighted the children in attendance. Following was an enthusiastic entertainment program that truly represented the diversity of the Indian subcontinent. A delightful and colorful mixture of folk dances, modern fusion numbers, classically inspired dances and Bollywood mashups were presented, as was a short musical performance. Children and adults of varying ethnicity and origin came together to participate in this program. The event culminated with free dancing – in which many attendees took part with gusto.

The event organizers thank India House for their phenomenal catering, the Los Alamos Fire Department for their constant support of this celebration, Trinity on the Hill Church for always being willing to provide space for this event, and the Los Alamos community for their enthusiastic participation and welcome of diverse cultural events and celebration. We look forward to bringing this celebration to the community again next year!