Women get together in the month of January to mark the occasion of “Makar Sankranti” in the state of Maharashtra, India. According to the Hindu calendar, this is the first day of sun’s transit into the Makara (Capricorn) marking the end of the month with Winter Solstice and the start of longer days. This festival is also celebrated in other parts of India with different names such as Lohri, Pongal etc.
During this celebration women come together to enjoy some fun time exchanging small gifts, distributing sweets made of sesame seeds & jagery, singing songs, flaunting new outfits & unwind with friends. Everyone adorns black color during this time for the simple scientific belief that black attracts heat. This is a festival of belief that bonds & brings people together encouraging them to overlook all the negative feelings, put the hostilities behind & look ahead in life towards Peace, Positivity, affluence, happiness & joy!
This community event in the GTA is hosted every year in January with the intention to bring together all the GTA Marathi ladies together. All the Marathi women got together this year at the Royal Banquet Hall in Mississauga on Sunday January 21st to celebrate this auspicious occasion. The event was attended by 300 enthusiastic women from age 6 to 75 years. All the lovely ladies dressed in their beautiful traditional outfits were welcomed at the door by dotting vermillion & turmeric tikkas which is significantly Haldi & Kum Kum. Traditional sweets & gifts for Vaan (a term for gift given during this occasion) were handed out as a meeting & greeting gesture.
Vendor booths selling Sarees, Salwar-Kameez, Indian traditional outfits, Jewelry, food items, Fancy bags were proudly showcasing their treasure.
Tea/ Coffee & various tasty snacks were served.
The function began with some fun filled ice breaking games followed by stunning performances by girls & ladies of different ages. Prizes kept pouring in to add smiles all around! BINGO had to be there to add a bit of silence followed by roars of the winners.
An early dinner was served with a wide spread of delicious menu followed by the Dj’s Bollywood & Marathi songs that brought everyone to tap their feet on the dance floor.
This was yet another successful year of this Haldi Kunku where it wasn’t easy to part away. All the lovely ladies returned home with gifts, prizes, shopping bags filled & the take away of a content feeling of having met with their friends from all the corners of GTA!!
The Haldi Kunku Organizers: – Pravina Kale, Vaidehi Bhagat, Prita Pradhan, Namita Dandekar & Leena Deodhare take pride in thanking all the volunteers, attendees, performers, vendors & supporters who came forward to make this event a success & thereby wishing each & everyone a happy & joyous year ahead!!
Report by: Vaidehi & Namita
