If one talks about the most beautiful state of India and especially North India, how can one not speak about Uttarakhand, which is home to many scenic hill stations such as Mussoorie, Nainital, Auli and Mukteshwar, to name a few. It can be best described as a mystical land of mountains and mythologies, exquisite landscapes and exhilarating adventure.
Every year, millions of people travel to Uttarakhand, also known as "the land of the gods" (Devbhumi). Whether for a family vacation, honeymoon, adventure or visiting religious shrines like Kedarnath, Badrinath, Rishikesh and Haridwar, Uttarakhand has something to offer everyone.
It is said, ‘Where the sky bows down in front of the Himalayas that is Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, and the Uttarakhand Association of New Zealand (UANZ) is playing an essential part in keeping the traditions and cultures of the Devbhoomi alive in NZ. Based in Auckland, it caters to 500 people from the Kiwi Uttarakhand diaspora. In this twelfth part of our series on Indian cultural associations, we take a closer look at UANZ.
UANZ was conceptualised in 2013 to keep the cultural identity, interest and importance of Devbhoomi in mind. While it doesn’t have any wing outside Auckland at present, UANZ has organised cultural programs in liaison with other Uttarakhand associations outside Auckland in the past.
Ramya Negi, secretary and cultural head, UANZ, says, "We have close to 200 community members who are part of our association. We all work towards ensuring that the vibrant culture of our home state, Uttarakhand, is kept alive and breathing so that our future generations are connected with their roots. While it is important to be a Roman in Rome, it is equally or more important to stay in touch with our motherland. Our roots, our culture or origin, and our cultural traditions together make our identity. It is who we are, and we must never forget that.”
In tune with its vision, UANZ organises several cultural activities throughout the year to celebrate festivals significant to Uttarakhand, such as Holi, Harela, and Diwali, among others. “We use these celebrations to come together as a community, wear our traditional outfits, bring along traditional food and sing and dance to Uttarakhandi songs. A way to recreate the festive ambience as you will see in Uttarakhand for the Uttarakhandis living in NZ,” explains Negi. It also has its cultural performance group, "Jhumelo”, which has been invited to many events to perform.
Negi believes that Indian cultural associations are the key to preserving the authentic cultural essence of India on a global platform, showcasing it to the rest of the world, and being proud of it.
UANZ is working on a few big projects, including Uttarakhand NZ Idol for Uttarakhandis in NZ. “The idea is to provide a platform for Uttarakhandis in NZ to showcase their talent significant to the Uttarakhandi culture using which we will bring more and more Uttarakhandis together. We are also looking at working alongside and supporting the wider Indian organisations nationwide. We want to take this association to a greater height of success,” says Negi.
Before signing off, Negi reveals that with borders re-opening, UANZ is also looking at a program to support and settle new immigrants.
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