From aarti to dhunuchi dancing and food, the US Ambassador to India indulged in a series of Durga Puja festivities on Saturday in New Delhi.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ambassador Eric Garcetti sent out Puja greetings to all, also noting his “incredible time pandal hopping” in New Delhi’s famous Chittaranjan (CR) Park puja celebrations. The United States Mission to India video on the post explored Garcetti’s experience at the CR Park pandal as he moved from stall to stall, tasting different food and taking part in traditional dance, a dance programme, and more.
Garcetti, who was appointed the ambassador to India in May this year, expressed “awe” at India’s cultural diversity as he dived into the puja celebrations on the sixth day.
Shubho Pujo, everyone!
I had an incredible time pandal hopping in CR Park in Delhi, participating in the cultural festivities and of course, tasting some amazing Pujo food! As I continue to experience different celebrations across India, I remain in awe of @IncredibleIndia’s… pic.twitter.com/UHUF9qUy0v
— U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti (@USAmbIndia) October 21, 2023
The video starts with Garcetti walking into the puja grounds with festive decor, surrounded by companions in traditional attires. He offered prayers to the idol of Maa Durga and performed dhunuchi dance in tune with traditional music and customs. The US Ambassador then played audience to a performance by children with whom he interacted before setting off on his food journey on the grounds, a crucial part of the Durga Puja experience.
The CR Park puja grounds host a plethora of food stalls of different Bengali dishes and Garcetti visited a few. The video of a little over one minute shows the ambassador starting with Kolkata Special’s jhalmuri which called he “perfect” before moving onto Rupsha Aahar’s chicken biryani. Garcetti’s next stop was at the Bijoli Grill stall where he tried puri. The Ambassador concluded his visit at CR Park with a plate of different kinds of sweets and a selfie with his visiting group.
