HAAS Diwali Dhamaka 17th Nov at Mehfil Banquet Hall:

Pictures can be seen by clicking here

The 2012 HAAS Diwali Dhamaka event held on 17th Nov at Mehfil Hall was a memorable and resounding success! The event was ably emceed by Nishant Kelkar and Shiela Prabhu (kids’ program) and Anisha Kelkar and Shreesh Shenoy (adults’ program).

We would like to acknowledge Rajesh Sashital for his generous $200 sponsorship towards the event.

The Mehfil Hall venue was very well decked up and decorated. Tables had lovely linens and chairs had full white covers and formal place settings. The warmth and the splendor of the hall were fit for the grand function that followed.

Appetizers (pakodas and fruit) were aplenty, while drinks flowed as guests gathered and met friends and family and did ‘panchaitika’ to chit chat and catch up with all the latest in the community.

Mrs. Meera Lotlikar started off the event with the lighting of the Diya and the invocation prayer.

A real strength of the event was the entertainment provided by the Houston area Konkani talent that was so much in display throughout the evening. Thanks to all the participants who worked so hard to put on a great show! The richness and diversity of the entertainment program was only made possible by the very talented participants.

Although it is impractical to list every single participant, a special highlight of this event was the two plays that were so ably directed by Mrs. Gauri Sirur. The kids’ play, written and narrated by Mrs. Chaya Ubhayakar, was very well received. The adults’ play, based on a story from the Panchatantra, was written and directed by Mrs. Gauri Sirur, and received rave reviews from the audience, with professional performances turned in by Nandu Balsaver and Prateek Karkal.

Congratulations to the Raffle winners: Anand Nayak made off with the $50.00 first prize!

The new incoming HAAS Management Committee was also introduced at the function:

President: Mrs. Maya Prabhu,
Vice-president: Mrs. Asha Dhume,
Secretary:  Mrs. Sucheta Kini,
Treasurer: Mrs. Jyoti Nayalkar (continuing),
Event Coordinator: Mrs. Aparna Shenoy, and
Youth Coordinators: Gaurav Dhume and Shreesh Shenoy.

Please join us in wishing them every success in the next two years!

The mouth watering dinner menu catered by Mehfil included chicken biryani, jeera fried rice, navaratan korma, saag paneer,  daal makhani, butter chicken, fish masala, naan, salad and onions.  The meal was rounded off by sweet gulabjamun.

After dinner, people danced the night away to Bollywood music, and the “dhadakte” pulsating rhythms of bhangra that Gurudath Kamath so ably dished out as the official event DJ.

All in all, this was a fitting end to a great evening of the event that everyone enjoyed thoroughly. The Managing Committee would like to thank all the participants, performers and volunteers for all their efforts, that made this such a success.

With this Diwali event, we had a funds drive to aid the Sandy Relief effort. $135 were collected at the function and an additional $250 later.

The event photographs are posted on the HAAS website. Click here see them.

Many thanks to Manoj Suvarna for assuming the role of an official event photographer and taking such wonderfully professional photographs that captured the wonderful moments of the evening.

Goodbye!

Finally, it has been our pleasure serving you these last two years. As we make our final bow, please welcome the incoming committee and help them as they continue the HAAS tradition.

Thanks & Regards
HAAS Management Committee and Families
Gautam Shiralkar and family
Raghavendra Shenoy and family
Rajnish Kelkar, Anisha Kelkar and family
Narendra Rao and family
Jyoti Nayalkar and family