Every year countries throughout Southeast Asia celebrate Diwali
, a Hindu cultural festival that dates back to ancient times. Known as the Festival of Lights, this holiday is a celebration of good triumphing evil.
Philadelphia took part in the celebration this year when Reading Terminal Market hosted its own Diwali celebration. Philadelphia is a city that is an ever-growing hub of culture, and Reading Terminal continues to be in the center of that.
General Manager Anuj Gupta wants to display that within the Market. He says that he “want[s] the market to be seen as a hub across communities, across cultures in Greater Philadelphia where folks feel welcome, and they feel embraced.”
Along with this, the Market is on a mission to expand its exclusivity by hosting other cultural events.
Gupta says that “[Reading Terminal] wants to make sure that we are strong as a city and as a region and we do that in part by getting to know one another and getting to understand one another.”
Temple Graduate student Shalini Gingipally saw the Market’s celebration as a small reminder of home and an opportunity for others to learn more about her culture. She said that the event is helping her “connect with my culture away from family, and it’s also a way for other people to learn other cultures.”
Learning went into full effect for Senior Kate Keoghan, who was particularly impressed by the performances she saw from several dancers. She says, “I’ve never seen anything like it before so I thought it was really good.”
To find out about upcoming events, you can head over to Reading Terminal Market’s website.
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