Desis gathered in Times Square, New York, on Sunday, October 16 to celebrate Diwali.
Photographs: Paresh Gandhi/India Abroad
New Yorkers celebrated Diwali a week and more ahead of the celebrations in the motherland with a grand event in Times Square, the city's most famous location, on Sunday, October 16.
Hundreds of desis gathered at Times Square surrounded by colourful neon billboards for Broadway shows and in the midst of hordes of tourists from all over the world navigating their way through the throng of humanity, a hallmark of Times Square at most times of the day.
Paresh Gandhi/India Abroad captures joyous scenes from the event.
IMAGE: US Senator Chuck Schumer lights the lamp with some assistance from Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, India's permanent representative to the United Nations, Diwali@Times Square, New York, October 16, 2016.
IMAGE: Something Ambassador Akbaruddin, who most Indians will recognise from his sterling tenure as the ministry of external affairs spokesperson, said gives Senator Schumer and Ambassador Riva Das Ganguly, India's consul general in New York cause to grin.
IMAGE: US Congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney, who co-helmed the successful Diwali Stamp project with Ranju Batra, addresses the crowds, as her fellow Democrat, Senator Schumer looks on.
IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi sends the crowds his Diwali greetings.
IMAGE: A glimpse of the crowds at Times Square. Diwali@Times Square.
IMAGE: Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, India's former permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Ganguly, Congresswoman Maloney, Ambassador Akbaruddin, Ranju Batra, the lady behind the successful Diwali Stamp campaign, Neeta Bhasin, CEO, Event Guru and lawyer Ravi Batra at Diwali@Times Square.
IMAGE: And the perfomances at Diwali@Times Square begin...
IMAGE: Shabbir Ahluwalia -- 'Rockstar Abhi' -- and Sriti Jha -- 'Pragya' in the popular television serial Kumkum Bhagya -- emceed the show.
IMAGE: What would a desi event be without dances performed to Bollywood beats?
IMAGE: Masala Bhangra's Sarina Jain, who is 34 weeks pregnant, teaches the crowd at Diwali@Times Square some moves.