Philadelphia celebrates its 23rd Annual Festival of India

The Council of Indian Organizations (CIO) in Greater Philadelphia hosted their annual Festival of India on August 12, celebrating the Indian Independence Day..

The Council of Indian Organizations (CIO) in Greater Philadelphia hosted their annual Festival of India on August 12, celebrating the Indian Independence Day. The Festival, which consistently attracts more than 6000 people per year, is a part of the larger summer-long multicultural series hosted by the Delaware River Waterfront and PECO Energy Company at Penn's Landing on the waterfront in order to celebrate and share the diverse cultures in Philadelphia.

The CIO was established in 1983 as an umbrella organisation of more than 20 active Indian associations in the greater Philadelphia area. 2017 marks the 23rd anniversary of the Festival. The programme featured around 40 performances, including live music and dances ranging from Bharatnatyam to Bollywood, and three guest speakers: the Consul General of India, the Deputy Consul General of India, and the chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party.

Booths were also set up for a wide variety of vendors to sell traditional Indian jewellery, clothes, decor, crafts and other items and for henna artists. Indian foods such as tandoori chicken, dhokla, idli, masala dosa, and rasgulla were also available for the visitors.

CIO President, Sai Sagaram quoted Mahatma Ghandi in his President's Message, saying, "A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people. When we all gather to celebrate this memorable Festival of India event, we are truly experiencing the rejuvenation of that deeply embedded culture in our hearts and soul."

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