17th Global Mela kicks off the festive season
The 17th annual Global Mela was the largest ever, attracting over 20,000 at the Global Mall in Norcross, Georgia on Saturday and Sunday, October 6-7, 2018. This epic mela is the largest free carnival event for the South Asian community in the Southeast, with over 50 booth vendors from all over the Southeast plus 60 stores within the Global Mall. Mall owner Shiv Aggarwal originated the event to bring the community together to celebrate the rich heritage of South Asia. It is a fun-filled weekend!
(Below, Left) Shiv Aggarwal with dignitaries: Georgia State Senate Candidate Matt Reeves, Gwinnett Commissioner Lynette Howard, Consul General Swati Kulkarni, Norcross Mayor Craig Newton. (Photo: Vinod Devlia)
Shiv Aggarwal and emcee Kiran Sethi of XtraHotDjs Entertainment kicked it off with a warm welcome. Joining Shiv and his family in Lord Ganesh puja with a lamp-lighting ceremony by Siddhi Vinayak Mandir’s Pandit Gyan Prakash Upadhyay and Sadhana Mandir’s Pandit Acharya Ved Joshi were dignitary guests: the Indian Consul General in Atlanta, Hon. Dr. Swati Kulkarni; Georgia State Senate Candidate Mr. Matt Reeves; City of Norcross Mayor Craig Newton; and Gwinnett County Commissioner Lynette Howard. Accompanying them were the winners of the 2018 IACA Beauty Pageant: Miss India GA, Rati Sarkar; Miss Teen India GA, Tanvi Gujral; and Mrs. India GA, Sarika Datta.
Two scintillating dances to popular songs, “Kanha,” and a medley song “Thade Rahiyo” and “Rashke Qamar” were presented, choreographed by Nritya Natya Kala Bharati’s Founder Mrs. Kumud Savla and her daughter Samta Savla.
DJ Bobby from XtraHotDjs and his team heightened the mela’s ambience with feet tapping music and the latest Bollywood chartbusters. Live dhol players intensified the atmosphere, playing in sync to Bollywood music and getting the crowd dancing to bhangra.
At the entrance of the mall, inflatable obstacle courses, slides, and a bounce house were set up for the children to play on the perfectly sunny October weekend. People were enticed with the aroma of Ashiana’s delectable chat, samosa, pav bhaji, a live fusion Italian station, and a hakka noodle station downstairs, while mouthwatering pani-puri and vada pavs were doing brisk business upstairs. The food court was bustling all weekend with guests waiting in lines for the Chinese Rasoi, Sri Krishna Vilas, Dawat Express, Mumbai Masala, and Curry on the Go!
Global Mall and Legacy Jewels provided free treats and activities for children and adults, including free popcorn, cotton candy, face painting, and balloon artistry. On the second floor in the Impact Conference Center, the Global Bazaar Exhibition had over 20 Indian apparel, jewelry, and accessory booth vendors, and along the hallways of the mall, home décor, houseware, mehndi, arts and handicrafts, travel, insurance, education services, and nonprofit vendors had their tables to serve throngs of visitors.
Mega raffle with Shiv Aggarwal and family members. (Photo: Vinod Devlia)
Every year, Global Mall & Legacy Jewels offer free entrance gifts and raffle tickets to all attendees. Raffles are run every hour, and attendees win prizes sponsored by the mall and its tenants. On Saturday and Sunday evening, Georgia’s largest Indian clothing store, Ladlee, raffled out free outfits, and the Global Mall family ran the Mega Prize Raffle of a Kindle Fire, large flat screen TV, and more.
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The band from India, Indie Routes. (Photo: Vinod Devlia) |
The magic show. (Photo: Vinod Devlia) |
During the weekend-long cultural show, lively entertainment was provided on both days by the young and talented students from Global Mall’s dance schools, Prem’s Dance Studio and Nritya Natya Kala Bharti, along with local artists who performed a variety of dance, songs, and music items. This year there was a special performance by one of the best bands from India, ‘Indie Routes’ brought to Atlanta by Global Mall tenant, Paracha Entertainment. From Rafi to Rahat, they gave the audience chartbuster Bollywood songs. A magic show was followed by a special kids-only raffle with goody bags of toys, treats, and stuffed animals.
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| Prem Rahman curated Sushma Patel's fashion show. | Sparkling fashions. |
Clothing and jewelry tenant Sushma Patel presented a glamorous fashion show with her line of internationally acclaimed designs. The fashionistas were glammed up by Blush Beauty by Nadia as they elegantly sashayed in the show curated by Prem Rahman. The crowd cheered and clapped for this super hit.
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