00:04Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, a holiday observed by more than 200,000
00:09New Yorkers celebrated Sunday in Flushing, Queens. A classical North Indian
00:18dance kicked off the festival. Abha Roy with the Surgeon Dance Company
00:24choreographed the performance. This is the most important festival in India. This
00:31brings peace and good over evil. Every detail of the dance has significance,
00:39from the costume, jewelry, down to the bells on her feet. Bells for performance. These
00:49are called ghungaroos. Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word meaning row of lights.
00:55Light meant to illuminate the world and eliminate darkness. Even though a lot of
00:59families celebrated Diwali last Sunday, for the past nine years, Flushing Town Hall has
01:05put on this public celebration here a week later. An integral part of the
01:09celebration is the food, of course. Queens Curry Kitchen and Chef Nupur Aurora serving
01:15up authentic Indian food. This keeps on moving, but both my hands are
01:20downstairs. There was also a painting workshop. An artist helped families
01:25decorate traditional Rangoli designs. Rangolis we usually make at every
01:29festivals that show, you know, our enthusiasm for the festival. Artists Anju Gupta
01:34spent six hours creating this colored sand Rangoli piece. Rangoli means colors, an array
01:41of colors and we use Rangoli in many festivals in India, but most importantly for Diwali. You
01:48know that the beauty is in the process, but the beauty is also in the impermanence.
01:54In Flushing, Queens, celebrating Diwali, Christine Russo, Fox 5 News.
