It's time for Tampa Bay's very own indoor "mela" once again!

About 8,000 visitors from throughout the Southeast United States are expected to attend the 17th annual India Festival on Saturday, Nov. 6 at University of South Florida's Sun Dome (4202 E. Fowler Avenue in Tampa).

About 55 vendors will set up booths that will offer jewelry, clothing, old and new Indian film DVDs and videotapes, music CDs, arts and crafts and henna. On the lower-level stage, performers will be decked out in traditional attire for the garba, raas, folk dance and classical categories of dance competition.

Closed-circuit TV monitors will be placed around the Sun Dome so people can shop and eat while watching the dances.

The Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay, an association of about 700 members, is organizing the event. There are an estimated 6,300 Indian-Americans in Hillsborough County and about 3,500 Indian-Americans in Pinellas County, according to the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau.

Chief guests are H.R. Shah of TV Asia and USF President Judy Genshaft.

The entry fee for the daylong festival is $6 for adults and $3 for children 12 and younger.

For more information, check out www.gujaratisamaj.org on the Internet or call (813) 968-6038.