Page 24 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 2 | December 2023 - January 2024

BIGGER, BETTER,
AND

BRIGHTER

The second edition of the Diwali Festival
was a remarkable triumph, and full of
sweetness and light.

B Y AIDEN JE WELLE GONZ ALE S

he Thai-Indian community has been in Thailand for
centuries and is inextricably linked to the culture and
people of the Kingdom. Nevertheless, it’s rare that there are
celebrations of Indian culture that bring both the Thai and Indian
communities together, and the Diwali Festival, an initiative that
was launched for the first time last year, is one such rare event.
“Diwali has been celebrated in Thailand for generations, but the
Diwali Festival is the first time that the Thai-Indian society has
celebrated Diwali on a public level,” according to Nikorn Sachdev,
who initiated the pilot project last year after he stood as District
Councilman for the Wattana district. “This is the second year
that we’ve been doing the festival, and it has been a huge success.” Ong Ang, also known as Little India. A vision between Governor
Chadchart and Nikorn to promote the ‘Little India’ area and thus
With the encouragement and blessing of Bangkok Governor further bring together the Thai and Indian communities, the space
Chadchart Sittipunt, this year’s festival not only had the support saw plenty of food, fun, and entertainment, and many enjoyed
of the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) but the Ministry of celebrating the Festival of Lights with their families. “In the coming
Culture as well. Bigger than ever, this year’s event was held in two year, we’re going to be having more functions in Little India to
areas over two weekends. From 10-11 November, the celebrations promote our Indian culture to Thai society, to encourage further
were held at EmQuartier, at the heart of the city, and everyone acceptance and progress,” Nikorn Sachdev told Masala in an
had a fun-filled weekend buying delicious food and local wares; exclusive statement. To read more about his vision for promoting
while from 17-19, the festivities started off with a bang at Khlong the Thai-Indian community in Thailand, head to our Cover Story.

24 | MASALA MAGAZINE DEC 2023-JAN 2024