THE Temple of Fine Arts Penang is set to host the Deepavali Mela, an event celebrating cultural heritage through vibrant performances and community gatherings.
The carnival is making its comeback after over two decades to rekindle the festive spirit while providing a platform to showcase traditional arts.
Manager Koshna Purusothaman shared that the last Mela took place around 1999, and this year, the organisation decided to bring back the carnival.
“The word Mela, meaning ‘carnival’ in Hindi, reflects a lively cultural celebration. This year, we are thrilled to revive the Deepavali Mela, focusing on our core institutions: dance, music, and education rooted in Indian tradition,” Koshna said in an interview with Buletin Mutiara.
Koshna also highlighted the founder of the Temple of Fine Arts, Swami Shantanand Saraswati, who established the foundation on three core principles: service, prayer, and love.
“The Temple of Fine Arts was founded as a school for dance and culture in 1985. The original establishment began in Kuala Lumpur in 1981. Our centre also supports two other initiatives — the Annalakshmi Restaurant and the Sivasantha Klinik, a free clinic led by Datuk Murugiah,” she added.
Koshna hopes to make the Deepavali Mela an annual event and eventually include it in Penang’s state calendar.
“Our attendees this year are by invitation, with a total of 150 guests,” she said.
Among the highlights of the carnival is a veena recital by music students, along with traditional dance performances.
“Apart from a visual treat, we will serve a delicious course dinner to our guests,” Koshna added, emphasising the importance of passing down the tradition of organising cultural celebrations to future generations.
The Temple of Fine Arts Penang offers classes in traditional dances, such as Bharatanatyam and Odissi, as well as music training in instruments like the mridangam and veena, along with vocal classes.
According to Koshna, culture is not limited to dance and music; it also includes the food and culinary aspects, forming an integral part of the cultural journey.
The Deepavali Mela will take place tomorrow from 7pm to 9.30 pm at the Temple of Fine Arts, located on Babington Avenue.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi