Florida News
NAVRATRI/DUSSEHRA CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE IN FLORIDA
TAMPA
Atul Purohit
Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay will support Sharad Poornima Garba by well-known Gujarati folk singer Atul Purohit at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, at Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 U.S. Highway 301 N., Tampa. Purohit’s music genes are garba, sugam sangeet, bhajans and his influences are folk, Hindustani classical, bhajan and sufi. Formed by Purohit in 1992, the Rutambara Group is one of the major attractions at United Way of Vadodara. It is said to have the largest gathering of people during Navratri. Considering the huge crowd that it attracts every year in Vadodara, organizers have applied for Guinness Book of World Records for the highest attendance at a venue. For tickets and other information, call Nishat Pathak at (203) 919-0444 or visit www.gujaratisamaj.org
SOIKOT (Bengali Association of Greater Tampa Bay) continues Durga Puja celebrations through Oct. 1 at India Cultural Center, 5511 Lynn Road, Tampa. For details, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.soikot.org
ORLANDO/CASSELBERRY/LONGWOOD
Hindu Society of Central Florida (HSCF) temple will hold Dussehra celebration from 5 p.m. on Oct. 7. For details, call Mahendra Kapadia at (407) 595-9224 or visit www.hindutempleorlando.org
BARTOW/LAKELAND/WINTER HAVEN
The Bhartiya Samaj of Central Florida will celebrate Navratri at 9 p.m. Oct. 6 at Bartow Civic Center, 2250 S. Floral Ave., Bartow. Sharad Purnima Navratri will be from noon Oct. 8 at the same venue. For information, call Subhash S. Patel at (863) 648-0294, Vinoobhai Patel at (863) 293-0942 or visit www.bscfl.com
PUNJABI MELA IN TAMPA HONORS FIRST RESPONDERS
Nearly 400 people attended the 18th annual Punjabi Mela on Sept. 17 at India Cultural Center in Tampa. The event was organized by the Punjabi Association of America in Tampa Bay. President Dr. Rakesh K. Sharma presented a check as a token of gratitude to District Chief Capt. James Gilligan of Friends of Tampa Firefighters (FTR) and board member Margaret Hamrick of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Foundation (HCFR). “It is an honor to recognize these heroes and be able to pay our respects to them and their families,” said Sharma. “When they are out there saving a family from a natural disaster like Irma, there is a family, worried about a loving father and a husband and praying that he also comes home. That is where FTA and HCFR come in, providing logistical support.”
Sharma stressed that the Punjabi association strives to keep culture alive as well as give to charities. This year, the youth were recognized for participating in a charitable essay contest. Entertainment for the night included Bollywood dance and of course bhangra to the beat of the dhol drum before dinner was served, followed by dancing.
