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Redmond celebrates Ganesh Utsav with 15ft Ganesh idol and dhol-tasha beats
The three-day celebrations attracted over 20,000 devotees from the Greater Seattle and neighbouring areas.
15-ft tall Redmond Raja /
The annual ‘Redmond Ganesh Festival’ in Washington’s Redmond city featured a 15-feet Ganesh idol named “Redmond Raja”. The celebrations were accompanied by traditional Dhol-tasha performances from the popular local band ‘Beats of Redmond.’
The three-day celebrations attracted over 20,000 devotees from the Greater Seattle and neighboring areas. K. Srikar Reddy, the Consul General of India in San Francisco graced the occasion as the chief guest of honor.
Jared Nieuwenhuis (Bellevue Deputy Mayor), Rami Al-Kabra (Bothell Deputy Mayor), Tony Au (community leader), Michael Padilla (King County executive’s office), Vamshi Reddy (community leader), and Osman Salahuddin (community leader), were the other guests of honor at the event.
Dhol-tasha performance by Beats of Redmond
Speaking of the event’s significance, the Consul General said that it was instrumental in propagating Indian culture and fostering community unity. He commended ‘Beats of Redmond’ for their energetic performance and also announced the upcoming inauguration of a new Indian consulate in the Seattle metropolitan region.
The iconic idol crafted in Mumbai was flown to Seattle for the celebrations. Adorned in exquisite jewelry, the idol was placed on a 40-foot grand stage, that resembled an Indian palace in the middle of Redmond’s downtown park.
Beats of Redmond founded by Deepali Sane and Anand Yeshwant Sane incorporated lezim, zanj, and zenda along with 51 dhols and 15 tashas in their performances. On the second day community members also presented choreographed special performances.
Consul General of India in San Francisco inaugurating the festival
“Many long-term residents of the Indian diaspora residing in the area expressed their emotions, describing their unexpected joy at witnessing such a grand Ganesh Utsav on American soil. The ‘Redmond Raja’ festival transported them back to their motherland, evoking deep emotions,” the organizers said in a statement.
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