Hindu Heritage Day in Boston Celebrates Nari Shakti

On May 10, starting at 3 PM, over 2000 people thronged the halls of Marlborough Middle School, Marlborough, MA, to enjoy yet another very successful Hindu Heritage Day.

Started in 1997 as a way to celebrate our great Hindu Culture and Heritage, Hindu Heritage Day has grown to include something for everyone, and many people look forward to celebrating the day with their families and friends and renewing acquaintances they may not have met for a long time.

The theme of this year was Nari Shakti, celebrating the Woman in all her aspects. Hindu philosophical traditions beautifully emphasize the complementary nature of masculine and feminine energies, highlighting that true creation emerges from the harmonious union of Prakriti (feminine principle) and Purush (masculine principle). The divine feminine deities—Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati—are not merely consorts but powerful entities who complete and empower their male counterparts.

Throughout history, from the Indus Valley civilization to contemporary times, Hindu women have been pivotal contributors across social and economic domains. Scholars, warriors, and leaders like Gargi, Rani Lakshmibai, Ahilyabai Holkar, Rani Naiki Devi, Savitribai Phule, and several more unnamed women exemplify women’s intellectual prowess, courage, and administrative excellence.

As soon as you entered the school, you were greeted by various stalls of local vendors selling jewelry, clothes, Indian ethnic wear including shoes, books for children and adults, beautiful artwork, information about summer camps and local activities, plus local non-profit businesses giving you information about their services.

Going a little further, your senses got assaulted by the delicious aroma emanating from the cafeteria, where people sampled savory snacks and delicious delicacies, not to mention fresh juices like sugarcane and chikoo juice, which was a treat.

At the beautifully decorated photo booth, people delighted in taking pictures with their family and friends, a timeless memento of the day.

The Cultural Program was a wonderful representation of the theme. In the auditorium, there was a wonderful variety show going on, showcasing all the talents that New England has to offer. There were dances by area dance schools, presented by children and adults in the various classical dance forms, some dances in Bollywood style, area schools of music and tabla presenting their best items, children from several Balvihars performing plays based on the theme, from plays depicting the different stories of the Hindu tradition such as the Shiva-Parvati Katha and Mahishasur Mardini, to a historical play about a little-known Hindu warrior queen, Rudramma Devi of Warangal. There was even a dance drama on the favorite childhood story of the Fox and the Grapes, performed and sung in Sanskrit by young children. The audience really enjoyed the show, which was expertly guided by two adult emcees and one high school emcee.

One of the highlights of the day was the Painting exhibition. The artwork created by the children (ages 3-15) was truly remarkable, reflecting not only the depth of their talent but also the meaningful stories they chose to tell. It was heartening to witness how the next generation saw Nari (Women) through the rich lens of our culture. Since it was Mother’s Day, many of the paintings were based on the theme of the Mother, honoring all the incredible mothers who have nurtured such thoughtful and creative young minds.

As part of Hindu Heritage Day, there was a Storytelling contest and a Trivia quiz on Hindu Heritage, held a few weeks before the actual HHD. The participants of all three contests, Storytelling, Trivia and Painting, were felicitated on stage, all were given a certificate of participation, and the winners of all three contests were announced.

There was also a kite-flying event planned, which unfortunately didn’t happen due to the rain.

The program was well supported by Media partners Gunjan Radio and Lokvani.

As the volunteers wrapped up cleaning, there was the satisfaction of job well done. The enthusiastic participation of the local community surely invigorated them to start thinking about planning for next year’s event on the third week of May.