Hum Sub’s annual Diwali event celebrated female empowerment
By Elizabeth Brignac. All photos by Elizabeth Brignac except where otherwise indicated.
The weather was beautiful for Hum Sub Diwali at Koka Booth Amphitheater in Cary this weekend. Hum Sub, a nonprofit dedicated to sharing the social and cultural traditions of India with residents of the Triangle area, holds a Diwali festival every year that has grown to become one of the largest such events in the Southeast, with over 15,000 visitors attending each year. Many people came out on Saturday to enjoy many kinds of South Asian food, browse clothing and jewelry, watch dance performances, listen to music and enjoy dozens of other activities, including the traditional fireworks display that rounded off the event.
Diwali is a Hindu festival of lights that has expanded beyond its original religious context (though it remains a Hindu celebration), and is widely celebrated in Indian and other Asian cultures. As Hum Sub describes it, Diwali “brings together people of not just the Hindu faith, but of all faiths to celebrate the simple idea that good always triumphs over evil.”
People attend Hum Sub Diwali dressed in clothing ranging from elegant saris and kurtas (traditional South Asian men’s tunics) to t-shirts and jeans. Upon entering the event, we immediately followed a blend of savory aromas to the food booths. Vendors sold many varieties of Indian cuisine, including everything from spicy chicken dishes to dosa (a pancake-like dish made from a lentil batter) to vegetarian noodles. Desserts like gulab jamun (a milk-based dessert flavored with rosewater and cardamom), and Kwality ice cream (an Indian-American ice cream chain that serves traditional Indian flavors) refreshed the palate after the hot dishes. We enjoyed mango lassi (a sweet, yogurt-based drink) with our meal and cups of chai and madras-style coffee afterwards.
While we ate, we watched dancers in bright costumes whirl to music in Bollywood-style dance performances. The theme of this year’s Hum Sub Diwali was naari shakti, a term that refers to female empowerment, and many dances incorporated this theme. Hundreds of dancers from dance schools from across the region brought their talent to the stage.
The music energized the entire event, while the dancing was a focal point, drawing large audiences throughout the day. The headline evening performance featured Suresh Wadkar whose voice has featured in many Indian movie soundtracks. His wife, Padma Wadkar, sang with him.
After enjoying the dancing, we visited a large exhibition tent, where representatives from Hub Sub were available to educate guests about both the organization and the naari shakti theme. We immediately encountered an oil painting by featured artist Alka Sinha, who was there to greet visitors and talk about her work. The painting features an Indian woman surrounded by black-and-white, headline-like words like “trendsetter,” “leader” and “empowered.” Sinha emphasized that she wanted to portray the woman as soft and peaceful while also strong and determined. Beneath the woman’s face, the word “unapologetic” stands out in red. “It speaks to me,” said Sinha, whose work often addresses themes of inner peace and strength.
The tent was filled with images of powerful Indian women who have changed history—writers, politicians, scientists, philanthropists and many others. “We want to showcase the stories of women who created modern India,” explained Usha Sankar, secretary of Hum Sub who chaired the exhibition.
The shopping area held dozens of vendor booths selling many different goods. The clothing and jewelry booths shone the most brightly—literally; the sparkling gold and rich colors were dazzling in the bright October sun. From saris to pashminas (long scarfs) to dresses and dozens of other kinds of clothing, many hundreds of garments were available for sale. Arm bands, earrings, hair clips, bracelets, bangles, rings and necklaces glinted from tables, shelves and display cases.
Information booths were peppered throughout the event, between vendor booths. One, for CORD Raleigh, a branch of CORDUSA, offered information on its mission to help people across the world build sustainable communities and in particular about its new women’s mentorship program. Another, Vibha, discussed its project to enhance government-funded schools both across India and in the Triangle (for example, they partner with Cary’s Read and Feed). At a booth where artists applied intricate henna designs on guests’ hands and arms, a Kiran volunteer discussed the program’s mission to assist South Asian victims of domestic violence in North Carolina. Hum Sub Diwali offered insight into the many ways the South Asian community in the Triangle is trying to reach out, both here and abroad, to support others.
Overall, this celebration was was indeed a festival of light—the light of bright clothing and glinting jewelry and autumn sunlight; of women bringing light to their countries; of volunteers bringing light to people in their communities. It is no surprise that Hum Sub Diwali has become a regional destination-level Diwali event for Indian and other South Asian communities.
The images below depict some of the traditional (or traditionally inspired) outfits people wore to Hum Sub Diwali 2024. Click on the first image and click through to see the full outfits.
