Sydney Tamil community celebrates new year festival with gusto
Tamil Arts and Culture Association ( TACA, Sydney ) Inc. ( a not-profit-community organisation) held a successful Tamil New Year ”˜Sydney Chithirai Festival’ on Sunday, 7th May, 2017 at Rosehill Racecourse. The bright sunny day was perfect for Sydneysiders to enjoy Tamil New Year celebrations. Chithirai festival is very popular festival for Tamil Community all over the world. It is a celebration during the month of Chitirai (April) in Madurai, India. It is also one of the longest celebrations in the world as it lasts for the entire month.
People turned up in huge numbers to enjoy the festive spirit, the festival attracting people of different communities and ethnicity to a celebration that everyone looks forward to a time to get together as a family. More than a thousand families comprising Tamils of India, Srilanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji, South Africa and Mauritius origin attended the festival.
The day was filled with spectacular cultural programs and delicious South Indian food in an atmosphere that was just magical. The entertainment segment involved performances by renowned Tamil folk and rock artists, and folk music of local talents Pushpavanam Kuppusamy and Anitha Kuppusamy. Stalls were plenty with many selling real estate in Sydney over a dosa and idli to the new migrants from Indian community whose dream it is to own a house. Rides had young families with kids lined up whereas photo booths by SBS Tamil and Desi Australia attracted many for a picture.
The official part of the program commenced with guests and audience rising for national anthems of Australia, India and Tamil language. Among the guests were present the Hon. Ray Williams, Minister for Multiculturalism, Hon. David Elliott, Minister for Counter Terrorism, Jody Mckay MP-Member for Strathfield, Geoffrey Lee MP, Julia Finn MP, Hon.David Clarke MLC, Multicultural NSW Chair GK Harinath, Dr V Manamohan, Councillors Susai Benjamin, Raj Datta, Mohinder Singh, Vice Consul S.K Verma, Jack Passaris, C-Chair Ethnic Communities Council, Melissa Monterio, CEO CMRC and Reena Jethi.
It was a remarkable and vibrant event, with inspiring speeches. The event was sponsored and supported by Australian Tamil Broadcasting Corporation Fortune World Tour, Bank of Baroda, Community Migrant Resource Centre, Success Lawyers and Barristers, Excellent Jewellers, VimTech, Soft Labs New, Nuclear Medical.
Secretary of TACA Anagan Babu acknowledged the gathering and said “This festival means a lot to me. It is quite a unique festival which is growing by the year it being our fifth annual festival. Sydney Tamil community loves its folk flavour, and they feel as if they are back at home”. He thanked all the sponsors, media, dignitaries and many other supporters who made it possible. President Muthu Ramatchandirin and Treasurer Karnan Chidambarabharathy also spoke about the festival and richness of Tamil culture.
TACA, Tamil Arts and Culture Association says Happy New year to all right here in Sydney in a fun-filled festival quite popular with Sydney Tamils as well as other multicultural community that lives locally.
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