The first Lohri Festival celebrated on Kangaroo Island has been touted as a big success.
Organisers Mintu Brar and Mandeep explained that Lohri is a winter festival in the Punjabi region of India celebrated on January 13, but to make it fit in with Australian seasons, Lohri was held this month.
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The festival happens after the harvest of Indian winter crops and is celebrated on the eve of New Year in traditional Punjabi financial calendar.
Read more about Lohri: Punjabi winter festival 'Lohri' comes to Kangaroo Island
Mandeep thanked SeaLink for its cooperation for making the ferry booking and travel so smooth.
"Nearly 25 families visited and there was plenty of social media coverage from individual and group accounts," he said.
"Our main aim to organise this event was to show the beauty of the Island to Indian community.
"All of the families visited for the first time and they liked it very much.
"We made three days and two nights plan for all guests which included 'things to do' on the Island."
In the evening the guests were served with Lohri snacks and sat around fires, sang and performed traditional dance.
"Because of COVID restrictions and it was the first time we could not invite locals to this event in a big number, still a couple of our regular visitors came along," Mandeep said.
"We are getting a lot of inquiries from people who are waiting for the next event to be held.
"If everything worked well, we would wish to organise more events on the Island."
Stan Gorton
Walkley-nominated journalist based at The Islander on Kangaroo Island with an interest in the local community and the environment.
Walkley-nominated journalist based at The Islander on Kangaroo Island with an interest in the local community and the environment.
