Submitted photo
The band Jhoon513 will perform at India Day Aug. 16 on the west end of Fourth Street.
The way Suman Suresh sees it, those with an ample appetite for culture and culinary delights will find plenty of satisfaction at the Indian Association of Columbus’ next gathering.
“It’ll be especially great if you’re a foodie,” Suresh said.
She’s vice president of the association. She’s also one of the organizers of the Second Annual India Day, a free-admission block party will be held from 4 to 9 p.m. Aug. 16 along the west end of Fourth Street alongside The Commons in downtown Columbus. Last year’s event attracted approximately 400 people.
“We feel that was a really overwhelming response,” she said.
About 80 percent of those attendees were Indian, Suresh estimated.
She mentioned that the association’s first-year events generally have drawn larger crowds than in subsequent years.
The gathering highlights India’s Independence Day, commemorating the nation’s independence from the United Kingdom Aug. 15, 1947. That’s when when the provisions of the Indian Independence Act, which transferred legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly, came into effect.
There will be wide range of Indian food for purchase, disc jockey tunes and a live, Ohio-based band, Jhoom513 will perform what is known as desi music. Desi is a diverse genre that includes a variety of sounds from artists and genres in South Asia, such as Bollywood dance music, Punjabi hits, and Sufi songs.
India’s more modern, rock-oriented music has been a big hit here in recent years with diverse audiences at everything from the Ethnic Expo international festival to the Ganesh Festival.
The association’s last public event was its annual Summer Fest in July that drew more than 300 people. Some of the entertainers from that event are scheduled to perform at India Day.
Organizers of the current, upcoming event still are recruiting more volunteers.
The association is dedicated to “bringing together people from Indian subcontinent, promoting local talent, and supporting the community,” according to its Facebook page. The association’s next festive event after this one is Diwali Oct. 26. Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions. It symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.
