First 'India Day Parade' showcased deep bond US shares with India: Seattle Mayor

Seattle, Aug 18 (IANS) In a unique initiative, the 'India Pavilion' at the First 'India Day Parade' organised in Downtown Seattle last week as part of the 79th Independence Day celebrations featured more than 30 booths that were set up to represent the 28 States of India along with several thematic exhibits. Each booth showcased distinctive One District One Product (ODOP) items, accompanied by descriptions highlighting their cultural and historical significance.

Several top dignitaries who graced the occasion as guests of honour witnessed first hand the true Indian spirit of Unity in Diversity and also got to know more about ODOP which aims at manifesting the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to foster balanced regional development across all districts of the country and remains dedicated to promoting 'Brand India' on the global stage.

This included Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, US Congressman Adam Smith, Seattle Port Commissioner Sam Cho, Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent/Director A P Diaz, King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci, US Coast Guard’s Northwest District Commander Rear Admiral Arex Avanni, Washington Supreme Court Justice Steven Gonzalez, along with Mayors of Mercer Island, Normandy Park, Sammamish and North Bend.

"Honoured to celebrate India’s 79th Independence Day — from raising the Indian flag at the Space Needle for the first time to today’s parade downtown. These moments highlight Seattle’s commitment to inclusion and the deep bonds we share with India and our Indian American community!" Harrell posted on X on Sunday.

The Independence Day celebrations, organised in partnership with the City of Seattle, showcased the rich cultural diversity of all states of India, including magnificent cultural dance performances.

The inaugural ceremony began with a prayer invocation from the Vedas, followed by flag hoisting of India and national anthems of India and the United States. A vibrant cultural performance, Natyam: A Dance Mosaic of Bharat, showcasing the diverse dance traditions from across India, enthralled the audience. Consul General Prakash Gupta, along with Mayor of Seattle and other participating dignitaries ceremonially flagged off the India Day Parade, with tricolor balloons rising in the sky and marking the start of the grand procession.

In a historic first, India's tricolour soared the Seattle skyline when it was hoisted atop the iconic Space Needle,

Addressing the gathering of over 2000 attendees, Harell welcomed the opening of the Indian Consulate in Seattle as a "landmark development" and noted that Seattle was diverse and a city of technological repute because of the contributions of Indian Americans and that Seattle City was honoured to co-host the first-ever India Day Parade. He added that the USA needs to "learn India's message of love, compassion and non-violence". US Congressman Adam Smith, in his address, emphasised that peace and security across the globe are of paramount importance, noting that the United States has "no better partner" in working towards those goals than India.

In the true Indian spirit of Unity in Diversity, thousands of Indian-Americans from across all States of India took part in the parade through floats and performances that showcased their region's unique culture, languages, and art forms. Each float and performance was coordinated by community groups led by prominent Indian-American community leaders.

While Washington Telangana Association (WATA) was the community lead, some highlights included Gujarat’s vibrant Garba, Maharashtra’s spirited Lavani folk dance, Andhra Pradesh’s graceful Kuchipudi, Odisha’s Boita Bandana with Vande Utkal Janani, and West Bengal’s float depicting the values of Swami Vivekananda.

Alongside the States and regional representations, thematic performances added further depth — such as Indian heritage arts, which displayed traditional paintings created by young Indian-Americans, and Gurukul, which celebrated India’s vast linguistic diversity, and an energetic performance by Beats of Washington depicting the valour and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji among many others.

Dignitaries and visitors also enjoyed sampling regional culinary specialties and exploring cultural artifacts, offering a vivid glimpse into India's heritage and traditions.

--IANS

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