The Reading community came alive this past weekend with a vibrant and colorful Mela that drew more than 5,000 attendees from across the region, including Birmingham, Swindon, Oxford, and London.
The two-day family event, blessed with perfect weather in the early 20s, was hosted at Palmer Park.
The event showcased an impressive lineup of international artists such as Raghav, Hunterz, Shin DCS, Veronica, Arminder Bobby, Lucky-E, Amarjit Sidhu, and Jaggy Dholi.
They were joined by local and emerging talents including Ravi Kumar, Shraddha Khare, Rajeev Gupta, Haimanti Kumar, Kashvi, and students from My Dance Land, Natraj Academy, and Kalakunj.
One of the main attractions was the popular Indian Street Circus, which captivated the audience with their aerobatics, drum and rope walks, giant puppets, and the thrilling performances by their fakir. Traditional Sufi qawwali by Cahat Mehmood Ali Khan and their group added a soulful touch to the festivities.
The Mela featured over 50 stalls offering a variety of food, traditional dresses, jewelry, local business services, henna (traditional tattoo), and face painting. There was community engagement by NHS, Thames Valley Police, Wokingham Fire Station, Reading Voluntary Action and other charities.
“We are thrilled with the turnout and the overwhelming support from the community and our supporters,” said organiser of the event, Aradhana Singh.
“This event not only celebrated our rich cultural heritage but also brought the community together in a joyful and meaningful way.”Aradhana Singh and the organising team also expressed thanks to their sponsors: Genting Casino, LemFi India team, Big Bazaar Reading, restaurant Flavour of Tandoor, Credent Global, and Wealthmax.
