ILA's Anand Bazaar celebrates India's cultural diversity, turns out a big hit

The event was inaugurated by Monika Srivastava, the wife of the Indian Ambassador, in the presence of Piyush Srivastava, the Indian Ambassador, who served as the Chief Guest.

ILA president Sharada Ajith was also in attendance at the ceremony.

Dignitaries, including Yusuf Lori, the director of Information and Follow-up at the Capital Governorate, were present.

Established in 1956, the ILA has been actively promoting Indian culture and fostering community bonds. The Anand Bazaar held its first fun event in 1973.

This year’s fair had diverse products ranging from Bahraini and Indian handcrafts to clothing, jewellery, cuisine, books, skincare products, games, and shipping services.

Highlights of the fair were the artwork created by children with special needs and kept on display by SNEHA, a recreation centre run by the Indian Ladies Association for children with special needs.

Ankitha, one of the participants, expressed her joy and excitement to The Daily Tribune.

“I am overjoyed, and this is a wonderful chance to show off Lucknow’s traditional attire,” she said, adding that her stall had various accessories, including the traditional Lucknow chikankari kurtis.

Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Center and Al Rabeeh Medical Center provided special prices on full-body check-ups, blood sugar monitors, GPS devices, and doctor consultations, ensuring the well-being of fair attendees.

Many talented housewives delighted visitors with their homemade food. Jayshree expressed her delight at being able to showcase their skills and relished the chance to step out of the house. “It is nice to get out of the house and showcase what we can do,” she said.

Adding to the lively atmosphere, volunteers Pragati, Neelam, Suchita, Prabha, and Minal organised entertaining games like “ring the object,” “lucky dip,” and “seven up and seven down” for attendees to enjoy.