Gorgeous Indian fashion merged with laughter and the scent of masala chai as Sangam Santa Barbara’s 2025 Sangam Diwali Utsav began. Held at Dos Pueblos High School on Saturday, October 25, the gathering offered a record crowd of more than 480 attendees the opportunity to enjoy Indian tradition through song, dance, culture, food, and friendship.
Festivities kicked off with guests enjoying samosas, vada, masala chai, and mango lassi courtesy of Masala Spice. They bid on silent auction items ranging from car wash vouchers to gift baskets to original acrylic paintings by California artists. Sangam (“confluence”) Diwali (the Hindu festival of lights) Utsav (“celebration”) is more than a celebration and exhibition; it’s a reunion for many. Handshakes, hugs, and namastes abound.
While performers held last-minute huddles discussing their routines, groups of old friends caught up on the news and gossip of the past year. Younger kids were entertained by the rangoli coloring station while older ones found corners of the venue to hold their own discussions and compare their outfits. In the background, alongside managing last minute details, the organizing committee cheerfully celebrated as they watched the fruits of months-long planning come together. Indeed, it’s been a busy year for Sangam Santa Barbara as it recently became a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit, opening doors to sponsors and ambitious plans. The Sangam is considering more events throughout the year including potential Holi, Indian Independence Day, and Garba functions.
The audience itself reflected a healthy mix of people with roots across both India’s many regions as well as California’s. While the crowd was dominated by Santa Barbara and Goleta locals, people from Los Angeles up to San Jose made the journey to enjoy the festivities. There was a strong showing from current UCSB and SBCC students as well as alumni, for whom the utsav serves as an ad-hoc Desi alumni reunion of sorts. Organizers were pleased that roughly 15 percent of attendees were non-Indian, as one of the event’s goals is to share Diwali joy and Indian culture with the wider community.
In the Dos Pueblos auditorium, attendees enjoyed 28 performances by a total of 95 participants. With so many artists eager to perform, this year’s program shied away from solos to give as many as possible time to shine. Over the course of two hours, acts showcased quite the range of Indian culture: North to South. Bharatanatyam to Bollywood. Stories told ranged from Hindu epics expressed through precise eye, hand, and foot movements to a bilingual skit about work-from-home culture that enjoyed raucous laughter.
The range extended well beyond India’s borders as well, including a rendition of Raye’s “Oscar Winning Tears,” and a unique mash up of Bharatanatyam and Irish step dancing. When asked about the latter concept, Deepa Dawson, one half of the performance and the proprietor of Naadabhoomi Dance Academy, stated, “The main idea of our Bharatanatyam and Irish duet is the coming together of two different and diverse cultures, sharing the joy of dance. The two styles are very different, yet strangely similar in many ways and beautifully complementary.” Performers ranged from 6 years old to “you-don’t-ask-an-auntie-her-age years old.” They represented a mix of members of local dance troupes and bands to groups of friends to the S.B. Gully Boys cricket team.
With the performances concluded and stomachs growling, everyone made their way from the auditorium to the cafeteria to enjoy a vegetarian buffet. Offerings included a selection of rice, breads, and gravies. Guests particularly enjoyed the dessert of gulab jamun immersed in a mango mousse. While the event formally concluded around 8 p.m., people stayed at the tables and in the parking lot far later for one last bite, conversation, or smile. As the diya lamps dimmed and the final cups of chai were polished off, the glow of Diwali lingered, serving as a reminder that joy shared is joy multiplied.
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