Dubai: The Sandhya Creations Event Network Team (SCENT) held an informative and engaging meeting with Karnataka community leaders in the UAE on the evening of July 27, 2024. The meeting took place at 7 PM at Crew Lounge, Al Bustan Centre, Al Nahda, Dubai, and was dedicated to announcing the eagerly awaited ‘Aatidonji Dina 2024’ Festival Event.

Alwyn Pinto, the leader of the Aatidonji Dina Festival Committee, warmly welcomed the community leaders and their committee members. He announced that the much-anticipated ‘Aatidonji Dina 2024’ will be celebrated on Sunday, September 1, 2024, at the Banquet Hall, Al Bustan Centre, Al Nahda, Dubai. The festival will commence at 9:00 AM and continue until 6:00 PM.

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The festival promises to be a grand occasion filled with vibrant activities. Nityanand Beskoor provided a captivating overview of the origins of ‘Aatidonji Dina’, a festival rooted in coastal Karnataka traditions. He elaborated on the historical significance of the Aati month and the festival’s evolution over time. Beskoor noted that SCENT’s introduction of the festival to the Middle East in 2022 and 2023 had attracted over 3,000 attendees, generating great anticipation for this year’s event.

Lt. Gen. Dr. Devid Frank Fernandes, a distinguished businessman and promoter of art and culture, has been appointed as the Patron of SCENT. In his acceptance speech, Lt. Gen. Dr. Fernandes expressed his dedication to supporting SCENT’s initiatives and celebrating the cultural heritage represented by the festival, concluding with inspirational Sanskrit slokhas.

Shodhan Prasad provided a detailed overview of the ‘Aatidonji Dina 2024’ Festival, highlighting various activities planned for the Karnataka-based communities in the UAE. The festival will feature the following group competitions:

  • Ethnic Aati Food Competition
  • Village Ethnic Dress Catwalk Competition
  • Poetic Recitation Competition
  • Group Folk Dance Competition
  • Group Folk Song Singing Competition

Each competition will be judged by a panel of esteemed judges, with winners announced during the closing ceremony. The final date for confirming participation in these competitions is August 15, 2024.

The festival will also be attended by distinguished religious leaders from Hindu, Muslim, and Christian communities, reflecting a commitment to promoting religious tolerance and unity. The event will feature:

  • Health Check-up Camps
  • Homeopathy Consultations
  • Ayurveda Consultations
  • Blood Donation Drive
  • Optical Discount Offers
  • Book Stalls
  • Antique Stalls
  • Painting Stalls
  • Food Stalls offering a variety of culinary delights

These activities aim to enhance the festival experience and provide valuable services to attendees.

Community Response and Registration Update: The announcement of ‘Aatidonji Dina 2024’ has been met with enthusiastic responses from community leaders. Fourteen community groups have already registered their participation:

  1. Karnataka Sangha Abu Dhabi
  2. Karnataka Sangha Dubai
  3. Billawa Family Dubai
  4. Amchigele Friends Dubai
  5. Vishwakarma Seva Samiti
  6. Brahmana Sangha Dubai
  7. Veera Shaiva Samiti Dubai
  8. Marghadeepa Samiti UAE
  9. Mogaveers UAE
  10. Sahebans UAE
  11. Mangalore Konkans
  12. Ramakshatriya Sangha
  13. Konkan Yuva
  14. Ganiga Samaj UAE

Additionally, 24 more communities have expressed their intention to confirm their participation shortly. Due to a limited number of stalls, only those who confirm their participation by August 15, 2024, will be accommodated.

The festival is expected to showcase a diverse and vibrant representation of Karnataka’s rich cultural heritage.

Notable Comments:

  • Sarvotham Shetty, President of Abu Dhabi Karnataka Sangha, humorously noted the challenge of gathering all community leaders for such events and emphasized the importance of educating the younger generation about cultural traditions.
  • Mallikarjuna Gowda and Nagaraj Rao affirmed their support, with Gowda highlighting Shodhan Prasad’s active involvement in community events and Rao emphasizing the festival’s significance.
  • Balakrishna Salian confirmed his support and promised to arrange a Blood Donation Campaign during the event.
  • Eshwar Belki expressed his newfound appreciation for the festival’s significance, and Sudarshan Hegde concluded the meeting with a vote of thanks, expressing hope for future celebrations of the event.

The meeting concluded with light refreshments, followed by a visit to the banquet premises to view the location for this year’s festival.