The Indian Association of Uganda, together with its High Commission, say they have partnered with the Ruperalia Group to organise the annual Diwali food festival involving all Indian sects this year.
In an interview with this newspaper last Saturday, Mr Paresh Mehta, the chairman of the Indian Association in Uganda, said this year’s festival, scheduled for next Sunday, will be held at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
The occasion is expected to attract all sects in the country, to showcase India’s varied regional delicacies, cultural and traditional, as well as promote the culture of unity in diversity and heritage.
‘Diwali is an Indian festival that is celebrated in all corners of the world, including in the United States. In Kenya government has gazetted it as a public holiday, and at State House Entebbe, in the past the President [Museveni] has organised Diwali celebrations for the community. We have been celebrating this festival under an umbrella association,’ he said.
He added that the impact of the partnership between the association, the High Commission and the Ruperalia Group has led to some of their projects such as blood donations and free heart surgeries for Ugandan children.
The ties have also generated a lot of demand for the celebration as a flagship festival for the community living in Uganda.
Asked to explain the significance of the festival, he said among the Indians, they celebrate it as victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. He added that Diwalu contributes to social harmony and fosters a sense of belonging. ‘It is a festival that transcends religion and geography, offering a universal message of hope, renewal, and togetherness, and reminds people of the enduring power of light through times of darkness. It is also a time for new beginnings in business, personal growth, and spiritual enlightenment,’ he said.
Sasi Nair, the secretary of Indian Association of Uganda, explained that Dewali is an Indian culture of celebrating victory over darkness. He said it is a way of encouraging their community to always be righteous and nurture the younger and future generations to keep alive the culture of good behaviour for future generations.
‘We inherited the culture of good behaviour which we have to pass onto our children and the next generations. We have so far registered more than 100 food stalls and over 15 cultural performances from various Indian regions and every diaspora community will be represented,’ he said.
He added that Ugandans and international communities are free to attend and witness some of the biggest Indian cultural performances.