Music City is pulsing with the beat of backyard bhangra. According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates compiled by Neilsberg Research, there are roughly 25,000 people of Indian descent living in Nashville and the surrounding areas, including Franklin and Mt. Juliet. And there are few holidays as beloved by the South Asian community as Diwali, the festival of lights.
The Nashville-based global music fusion specialist who goes by DJ Neha started her career a decade ago and quickly found her niche as the region's leading DJ for Indian weddings. She also performs at a wide variety of events across Music City, including shows for the Predators. While she travels routinely for gigs, Neha's parties have become the go-to destination for anyone celebrating
Diwali in the Volunteer State.
"It's been beautiful seeing Nashville grow into a diverse community," she said. "In Nashville, the energy is super different. The expectations for music are very high, especially for pop and country and fusion beats. Guests come from all around the world."
Revelers joined her latest party Oct. 23 at Love and Exile Bar, dancing to welcome in the festival.
"Diwali celebrates good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. To me, Diwali is about light, hope, gratitude, and new beginnings. It’s a time to reflect on the blessings we have, appreciate the people who have helped shape our lives, and remember the importance of family and community," Neha told The Tennessean. "As a DJ, one of my favorite things is watching people from different backgrounds and different generations come together on a dance floor. To me, that captures the spirit of Diwali beautifully — sharing joy, celebrating our roots, and bringing light into each other’s lives."
For anyone seeking a celebration with slightly less volume, the Hermitage Hotel will be offering a special chai tea service for two weekends, beginning Oct. 30 and again on Nov. 6, to celebrate the five-day festival of Diwali, which officially kicks off Nov. 6.
Guests are encouraged to wear Indian clothing or jewelry if desired. The venue's managing director, Dee Patel, said some of the holiday's best memories come from family and friends getting dressed up to share gifts and delicious foods together.
"The Indian community in Middle Tennessee has grown tremendously over the years, and it’s wonderful to see our culture and traditions becoming more visible and celebrated throughout Nashville," Patel told The Tennessean. "Nashville has always been a welcoming city, and its growing cultural diversity is something worth celebrating. I think the more opportunities we have to experience and appreciate one another’s traditions, the richer our community becomes. That’s one of the things I find so beautiful about Diwali. Its message of light, hope and togetherness resonates far beyond any one community."
The foods being offered by the Hermitage include mango lassi-inspired tarts and cardamom scones to go with a range of Indian teas and spiced cocktails.
At parties families are throwing at home, other foods that would be common at this time of year include gulab jamun, a deep-fried milk dessert soaked in rose-scented syrup, and jalebi, a fried dough spiral also soaked in sweet syrup.
When asked about how she would describe the Indian community of Nashville, Neha said "welcoming, hardworking, diverse, and deeply connected to its roots."
Speaking of welcoming, many of the partygoers at various Diwali events around the city are not of South Asian descent. The holiday has become a celebration for people of all backgrounds.
"I’m grateful to be part of a community that continues to create space for South Asian music, celebrations, and traditions while welcoming people who may be experiencing them for the first time," Neha added. "I’m grateful to be building my career in a city with such a rich musical community, and I believe there is room for every genre and culture to have a voice here."
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Watch how Nashville celebrates Diwali in style
