LIHPBA lights up Harris Park businesses to celebrate Diwali
It was history in the making on October 25th in Harris Park.
Wigram Street had the dhol echoing the place as businesses, shops shimmered in coloured lights all the way. Onlookers curiously stopped over to take a look in all the excitement some even daring to join in and dance to the sounds of dhol.
Wigram Street, Marion Street and Station Street is where all the Indian businesses are congregated. Two days before the Diwali, shops were doing roaring business, piping hot jalebis being made in front of you, people buying gold, sweets displayed in variety of gift boxes, gulab jamuns soaked in syrup simmering and inviting everyone to give them a try. What an atmosphere as families, people crowded all over, one felt as if one was in India.
This Diwali was special as Indian businesses joined hands in celebrating Diwali in a united manner with lights, pomp and celebrations. Little India Harris Park Business Association Inc (LIHPBA) made this historic event possible with the assistance from all its members and some hardworking spirited people with Nitin Setia given the title of ”˜Hanumanji’ of Harris Park him having made sure every business put up the lights in a matter of days.
Festival of Diwali, which marks the victory of good over evil, featured lighting display in unison by the shops, with a procession proceeding along Wigram street and Marion street led by Lord Mayor of Parramatta Bob Dwyer and his wife Lady Jenny Dwyer, Parramatta MP and Minister Multicultural Affairs Dr Geoffrey Lee and shop owners, well-wishers and passers-by all accompanied by “the Dhol” beats.
The Mayor and Minister personally meeting and stopping by with each and every restaurant, shop and business owners and offering their good wishes on the occasion of Diwali 2019. Procession built up as crowd walked with dhol player leading the way with Hon. Bob Dwyer shaking hands with every business owner as the ”˜jaloos’ walked from door to door. In return of being obliged with pictures taken outside the shops, owners shook hands with the Mayor and offered sweets, with Tuli Jeweller’s Jyoti Tuli giving gifts of Silver Lakshmi coins wishing everyone one prosperity and goodwill.
The celebration in Harris Park is a brainchild of the Harris Park business owners Sanjay Deshwal and Nitin Setia, along with help of Subba Rao Varigonda and the LIHPBA team. The vision of LIHPBA is to make Harris Park, the little India of Sydney and put it on the map as an iconic tourist destination where one can witness the vibrant atmosphere and an Indian cultural hub with a variety of businesses from restaurants to fashion stores, groceries and more showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Mother India. As part of the celebrations LIHPBA has coordinated with all businesses to showcase uniform lights across almost all businesses to express that there is strength in unity.
Earlier Dr Geoff Lee Minister for Multicultural Affairs opened the celebrations by making a passionate speech which included the business community in Harris Park and the Council working together to make the vision of LIHPBA a reality soon. Dr. Geoff Lee said he had helped in this vision by personally door knocking every business asking them to join in and form a united body.
Later, at a dinner hosted by Dosa Plaza, The Hon Bob Dwyer, Lord Mayor of Parramatta spoke highly of the efforts made by LIHPBA in supporting businesses in Harris Park and addressing their day to day issues. Following his speech, Ms Julia Finn, Member for Granville, representing the Hon Jodie McKay congratulated the LIPBHA team for bringing all the businesses in Harris Park on a common platform and wished the businesses in Harris Park a happy Diwali 2019.
In his speech to the gathering at the dinner Subba Rao Varigonda, Chairman of the Board of Directors of LIHPBA announced the establishment of LSC ”“ LIHPBA Support Center. The Software for the LSC is provided by FreshWorks ”“ an internationally well-known company in Helpdesk software. Through the LSC Helpdesk portal, Harris Park businesses can expect support from simple issues such as plumbing to complex issues needing Council involvement such as street lights, parking and traffic. LSC will be managed by volunteers of the Indian Support Center, which has considerable experience in managing helpdesk services and currently is a partner organisation with LIHPBA.
BenQ Corporation ”“ a world-leading human technology and solutions provider supported the event by providing two large monitor units, which will be located at two prominent places in Harris Park business precincts and will display information related to businesses in Harris Park. LIHPBA thanked BenQ of their gesture of goodwill and support. While the Lights are a permanent feature of Harris Park businesses, the display units will be available for full one month from Diwali.
The event was made possible by Generous Support from Pathan Supermarket, India Bazaar, Punjabi Fusion, Chillis, Ginger Indian Restaurant, Australian Visa and Migration Consultancy Services, Shalini’s Indian Fashion Sydney, Taj Sweets, Green Meat Market, Dosa Hut, Billu’s, Haveli, Shri Dhaba, Tuli Jewellers, Green Farm meat market, BENQ, Path Infotech, Chatkaaz, Desi barber, Dosa Plaza, Akshara Jewellers, Desi Network, Pricebeat Travels, shimmer fashions, Durgaa Paan bhandar, Nine flavours of Panipuri, and many more
Simmi Wadhwa, of LIHPBA team, thanked the main sponsor Dosa Hut and Radhe Supermarkets and Dosa Plaza for sumptuous dinner and venue for the Mayoral Party.
LIHPBA ”“ Little India Harris Park Business Association Inc was launched on July 4th 2019 and is the peak representative body of businesses in Harris Park. The main objective of LIHPBA is to support businesses in Harris Park and make Harris Park as the tourist destination and “the Little India of Sydney”. For more information about LIHPBA, please visit our website www.littleindia.org.au or email us support@littleindia.org.au
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