By : Surinder Jain.
Hindu Council of Australia celebrated Diwali festival in Martin Place, the heart of Sydney today on 31st October 2018. Martin Place is a pedestrian mall in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Martin Place has been described as the “civic heart” of Sydney. A water fountain is located on the east side of Pitt Street, near the Commonwealth Bank of Australia building. Behind this fountain is an amphitheatre, which features a stage where Diwali was celebrated.
This part of Martin Place has been popular with office goers at lunch time and today was no different. Hundreds of Australian in well dressed office suits thronged the area. Some came and sat down in the amphitheatre biting their lunch while others were just curious onlookers on their way to and back from take away lunch shops to their offices.
A number of shops with goods ranging from Indian food to Indian handicrafts and various services like banking, real estate added to the charm of the show for onlookers. Diwali ArtSpace exhibition showing a small sample of two paintings was quite popular exposing many Australians to Hindu Art genre for the first time.
The program consisted of various classical and bollywood dances by emerging and well known dancers in Sydney. The program was busy with people between 12 to 2pm.