Culture
PORT of SPAIN: Charlie Boys wins tassa competition
PORT of SPAIN: Charlie Boys Tassa Band and Bri-Ann Sylvan Bharath Youngstars Tassa Band are the two top winners of this year’s National Tassarama Virtual Competition.
Charlie Boys won with 2,547 points while Qualitech Sanjay Boys Tassa Band was second with 2,382 points and Tri-Stars Tassa Band third with 2,379 points.
In the junior category Bri-Ann Sylvan Bharath Youngstars Tassa Band was first with 1,336 points while Moving Stars Junior Tassa Band placed second with 1,311 points.
Young Maestro Tassa Band took third place with 1,290 points while Venom Young Stars Tassa Band was fourth with 1,244 points. The competition’s final was held on Independence Day (August 31).
The Tassa Association of Trinidad and Tobago hosts the annual event. It decided to host this year’s competition virtually as it did not want to go another year without having the event, president Dr Vijay Ramlal Rai said. The association did not host the event last year because of the covid19 pandemic.
The competition – which started more than 20 years ago – was crafted to gain recognition for the instrument and the artform.
“The competition was extremely intense,” Ramlal Rai said.
There was not a semi-final this year and all bands were required to send in a three-minute audition video from which the finalists were chosen.
This year there were 15 senior bands and four junior bands competing for the winning titles.
The association has plans to reshape the competition in 2022 and will have three categories going forward – small, medium and large – as opposed to simply seniors and juniors.
The junior category will instead become a school-based competition held at both the both primary and secondary levels, Ramlal Rai said.
He said the inspiration for having the three categories was drawn from the pan movement. In the national Panorama competition steelbands are judged according to the size of their ensemble with small, medium and large being the defining categories.
Ramlal Rai said there are many tassa bands with more than 12 to 15 players which would constitute a large band.
Over the years, tassa bands were limited to four people. However, there was a call by the tassa community for that to be improved and so the idea of having three categories was birthed. The small bands will be a minimum four people.
“We will have that new category and you will be seeing more skilful drumming. It is going to be great and more exciting.”
This was the first time the competition was hosted virtually and organisers ensured it adhered to covid19 protocols and regulations.
“Because of the pandemic we had to give bands a certain time to reach. They all could not be there at the same time. We had to have three bands at a time. And distancing as well. They could not be next to each other.
“It was quite an occasion for us for our first virtual,” Ramlal Rai said while also saying that he enjoyed it.
“The responses that we got from yesterday were tremendous.”
He said the event drew about 4,000 to 5,000 views on its YouTube channel.
He thanked its sponsors such as the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts; National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB); First Citizens Bank (FCB) and Xtra Foods.
Ramlal Rai said the event did not have a lot of sponsors this year simply because the pandemic was a deterrent.
“We have managed to have a very good corporate sponsor for this year and we were happy about that…”
He said it was not easy to get this year’s competition going because of the pandemic. It was streamed from the Divali Nagar site, Endeavour, Chaguanas, which has been used by the Ministry of Health during the ongoing covid19 vaccination process.
The space was large enough to get the streaming done within the covid19 guidelines and regulations, Ramlal Rai said.
A small, 20-by-20 stage was erected where the bands would come, perform and leave, and there were no supporters or no props and only two dancers per band, he said.
He believes TT would have to devise some formula to preserve its artforms should the pandemic continue like it has been going.
TT’s artistes and performers may also have to look at opportunities outside of the county simply to keep the artforms and skills alive, he said.
He does not think that TT having no Carnival will go beyond 2023.
“We have to come up as a people, as the Government, with a new formula for our arts and entertainment. We cannot continue to have it suppressed like this all of the time. We don’t want our artforms to die,” he said.
He hoped people can come together and do something so TT’s cultural institutions are not left in darkness forever.
NEW YORK: Celebrations sparkled up the Times Square in New York City yesterday as the Indian community and several US citizens gathered to observe the Hindu festival of lights.
The event featured performances from various cultural groups. Among the notable attendees were Mayor Eric Adams, New York State Assemblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar, Senator Chuck Schumer and Consul General of India in New York, Binaya Pradhan. Ms Rajkumar has been a key advocate for recognizing Diwali as a school holiday in the USA throughout.
Mayor Adams took to social media platform X (formerly, Twitter) to address the event.
“Proud to be with our Hindu brothers and sisters today for the annual Diwali at Times Square celebration as we push away the darkness and welcome in light all across our city,” he wrote.
What better place to celebrate the festival of lights than in the Crossroads of the World?
Proud to be with our Hindu brothers and sisters today for the annual Diwali at Times Square celebration as we push away the darkness and welcome in light all across our city. pic.twitter.com/VauEgY14IO
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) October 20, 2024
The official Twitter account of the Consulate General of India, New York also shared pictures of the glamourous celebrations on social media.
Diwali @ TimesSquare : Indian American Community & American Friends join together at Times Square to celebrate Diwali.@narendramodi @PMOIndia @MEAIndia @IndianEmbassyUS @IndianDiplomacy @diaspora_india @binaysrikant76 pic.twitter.com/kylTXrtbni
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) October 20, 2024
Neeta Bhasin, founder of Diwali at Times Square, also played an instrumental role during the celebration. The festivities culminated in a ceremonial lighting of diyas (lamps), symbolizing hope and renewal.
Diwali has been celebrated in the heart of New York City since 2013. As attendees gathered to witness this moment, they were reminded of the festival’s core values and its ability to unite diverse communities.
CG @binaysrikant76 joined friends from Indian-American Community & American friends to celebrate Diwali; Spl thanks to Senate Majority Leader Senator @SenSchumer , Mayor Eric Adams @NYCMayor , Assemblywoman @JeniferRajkumar for joining & to main organiser of the event Ms. Neeta… pic.twitter.com/Ul7gsLoiYb
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) October 20, 2024
Diwali has also been officially recognized as a school holiday in New York City last year. About 4.4 million Indian origin people reside in the US with persons of Indian origin constituting the third largest Asian ethnic group in the US, according to ANI. New York, San Francisco and Chicago metropolitan areas are places in the USA which have the highest population of the Indian community in the country.
Another event to commemorate Diwali was organised by the Indian Consulate in Pennsylvania.
Deputy Consul General @varunjeph joined the Diwali celebrations by Khalsa Asian American Association in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania along with members of the Indian diaspora and Asian American community.
Thank you @UpperDarbyPA Mayor Ed Brown and PA State Senator Tim Kearny… pic.twitter.com/6LzwVJ3FR1
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) October 20, 2024
Deputy Consul General Varun Jeph joined the Diwali celebrations by the Khalsa Asian American Association along with members of the Indian and Asian American community.
While the festive spirit, through such events and recognitions, continues to exhibit an attempt at endeavours towards fostering a spirit of unity and equality, the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI)’s recent report showed another side of South Asian experiences. As reported by Reuters, the AAPI study shows that South Asian people in the US have been facing alarmingly high levels of hate ahead of the 2024 elections, which transcends not just to the common people but also to heavyweights such as Kamala Harris, and Usha Vance. Such celebrations of South Asian festivities thus do their bit in bringing together the diverse communities in a dazzling show of vibrant unity across the globe.
Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a video message to ‘the attendees, emphasizing the festival’s role in promoting unity and goodwill. He stated that Diwali serves as a reminder of the victory of good over evil and the importance of knowledge over ignorance. He has also highlighted the importance of the Indian community in the US and referred to them as a ‘living bridge’ connecting the two places. Diwali falls on November 1st this year.
NEW YORK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently addressed tens of thousands of Indian-Americans in a grand community event at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island. The chants of “Modi, Modi” filled the stadium as the prime minister walked on stage to address people of Indian origin.
The Prime Minister started his speech with the chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai!”. He began by saying that even the ‘Namaste’ has gone from being local to global, and credited the Indians settled overseas for it.
A series of cultural performances entertained the people gathered at the stadium, who were enthused as they waited for the Prime Minister’s arrival.
During his speech, Prime Minister fondly recalled his previous community events in the United States – 2014 at the Madison Square Garden, 2016 in San Jose, California, 2018 in Houston, Texas, 2023 in Washington and now in Long Island.
He credited the Indians settled in the United States. He said that they have been the bridge between the two nations and have helped strengthen the India-US relationship. He said “you all have come seven seas apart, but nothing can ever take the love of India away from your hearts and souls.”
He said that people from different parts of India may have settled overseas – here in the US too and have become US citizens, but “the sentiment that brings us all together is, ‘Bharat Mata ki…(Jai! chanted the spectators)’.”
“This sentiment is what keeps us united, and this is our biggest strength, no matter where we go in the world,” he said, adding that “It is this sentiment that helps us be peaceful, law abiding global citizens – what makes India proud of its children – and makes the world realise that India is the world’s ‘Vishwa-Bandhu’.”
Calling the Indians settled in the United States ‘Rashtradoot’ (Ambassadors), the prime minister thanked the Indian community in the United States for the respect India has earned in that country, adding that “It is our Indian values and culture that makes us One.”
WASHINGTON: Dhruvi Patel, a Computer Information System student from the USA, has been declared the winner of Miss India Worldwide 2024, the longest running Indian pageant outside of India.
Dhruvi aspires to be a Bollywood actor and UNICEF Ambassador.
“Winning Miss India Worldwide is such an incredible honour. It’s more than a crown – it represents my heritage, my values, and the opportunity to inspire others on a global scale,” Dhruvi said after her crowning in Edison, New Jersey.
Lisa Abdoelhak from Suriname was declared the first runner-up, while Malvika Sharma from the Netherlands was adjudged the second runner-up in the same race.
In the Mrs category, SuAnn Mouttet from Trinidad and Tobago was the winner, with Sneha Nambiar the first and Pawandip Kaur from the United Kingdom the second-runner up.
In the Teen category, Sierra Suret from Guadeloupe was crowned Miss Teen India Worldwide.
Shreya Singh from the Netherlands and Shradha Tedjoe from Suriname were declared the first and second runners-up.
The beauty pageant is organised by New York-based India Festival Committee and is headed by Indian-Americans Neelam and Dharmatma Saran.
The crown is celebrating its 31st anniversary this year.
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