A Celebration of Devotion, Tradition & Community Magic
Ritu Maheshwari
India Post News Service
This year’s MMNA–WCN (Maheshwari Mahasabha of Northern America – West Coast North Chapter) Diwali celebration on Sunday, Nov 9 2025 was nothing short of historic. With the beautifully conceptualized Tulsi-Shaligram Wedding, the community came together in a grand festive union of music, dance, devotion, and shaadi-style masti – all wrapped in a Diwali glow. For many attendees, the evening felt like stepping straight into a traditional Marwari wedding back home in India… only bigger, warmer, and bursting with Bay Area talent attended by More than 315 people.
Pre-Event Festivities: Mehendi Across the Bay
The celebrations began a day earlier on 8th November, with Mehendi – PRE Wedding events. This was held in Fremont, South Bay, and Tri-Valley, and was attended by more than 70 participants.
Hosted by Puja Kasat & Shruti Bihani Soni (Fremont), Shailja Birla Maroo & Priyanka Inani (South Bay), and Priya Dhoot (Tri-Valley), these gatherings set the perfect- intimate, artistic, and filled with laughter. Sakhis adorned one another with mehendi, symbolizing togetherness before the big day. With sumptuous food and wedding songs the Sakhis and kids enjoyed the feat to its fullest.
The Grand Vivah Evening: November 9th, 2025
A Marwari-style royal welcome – ilaaychi malas, ladkiwale-ladkewale-maayredaar brooches, itta, almonds, and cheerful committee members greeting everyone personally to all the guests with all warmth
Exotic appetizers, elegant setups, and a keepsake photobooth elevated the experience from the very first moment.
The evening officially opening ceremony was with a serene Binayak (Ganesh) geet beautifully sung by four sakhis, grounding the celebration in tradition.
Guests arrived to a warm Marwari-style welcome – ilaaychi malas, ladkiwale-ladkewale-maayredaar brooches, itra, almonds, and cheerful committee members greeting everyone personally.
Exotic appetizers, elegant setups, and a keepsake photobooth elevated the experience from the very first moment.
The evening officially opened with a serene Ganpati geet beautifully sung by four sakhis, grounding the celebration in tradition. This was followed by all the other traditional wedding ceremonies which created more memories.
Nikaasi, Dhukav & Groom Entry – A dazzling flash mob set the energy high as the Baraat began its journey down the aisle.
Shri Krishna/Shaligramji as the groom rode in with grandeur, accompanied by the Junior RAYS boys whose performance brought youthful excitement to the moment.
Baaraat Swagat – On the stage, three dynamic teams of the community – Tri-Valley, San Jose, and Fremont – welcomed the baaraat with electrifying group dances.
Bride Entry – Tulsiji as the bride was welcomed with grace and devotion. RAYS performers created a memorable aisle-to-stage entry, followed by bridesmaid dances by the Junior RAYS girls.
Sangeet, Saat Vachan & Negchaar – The Sangeet segment was a crowd favorite – creatively anchored in the style of “Sunoji Dulhan” from Hum Saath Saath Hain. Customized lyrics written by our community experts, recorded by our very own community singers and presented by our very own vibrant couples brought a magical, personalized touch.
Highlights Included:
- A vibrant Ganpati dance by committee members
- Three amazing group performances including all age groups from 4 – 50
- A heart-melting Father–Kid performance by five adorable pairs
- A hilarious and grand Saat Vachan dance drama featuring Basanti selling “vachans” to dulha-dulhan pairs
- National representatives introduced through a special Qawwali-style act
- Fun filled game of Twisted Nekchaars hosted by our Sakhi Leads.
🌼 Maayraa & Chhappan Bhog –One of the most cherished moments of the evening was the grand Maayra celebration.
A Chhappan Bhog-56 delicacies-was presented to Tulsiji and Krishnaji, carried in a beautiful dancing procession by bhai-bhai and devrani-jethani pairs. With all the gifts, badhai and this soulful act drew emotional applause and deep nostalgia from the audience.
The evening concluded with a lavish dinner followed by a high-energy DJ that had everyone – kids, youth, and adults – dancing to classic favorites. The perfect end to a perfect shaadi-meets-Diwali night.
🌟 A Salute to the Team Behind the Magic –A production of this scale – with 90+ performers and meticulous timing – is only possible through extraordinary teamwork.
- MMNA WCN Committee-
- Sachin Dhoot ( President)
- Shailja Birla Maroo (Vice President)
- Puja Kasat (General Secretary)
- Akshay Soni (Treasurer)
- Shruti Bihani Soni (Cultural Head)
- Pankaj Chechani (Youth Co-ordinator)
- Priyanka Inani (Joint Secretary)
- Pratik Kabra (Public Relations)
- Volunteers & Creative Leads
From Ayogan & Sajawat to Swagat, Maayra, Chhappan Bhog, Negchaar, AV, Sangeet recording, Annapurna, and more – hundreds of volunteer hours brought this vision to life and, this was not possible without fleet of volunteers from across Bay area.
This event proved once again:
- Behind every event there are volunteers.
- Behind every successful event there are MMNA volunteers. 🤝✨
The over-flowing feedback from the community to these volunteers with appreciation, gratitude and recognition made all the difference.
We would like to thanks our sponsors without them this was not possible.
Our Annual Sponsor
Realtor Munish Ghai – Your continued partnership lights up every event we host and helps our community shine brighter, year after year. Thank you for always standing with MMNA–WCN! –
Our Event Sponsors
Spundhann by Arpita Bagri – For transforming our venue into a grand wedding mandap! Your décor — from backdrops to photobooths — set the perfect stage for Tulsi–Shaligram Vivah.
Hashtag Photography by Rucha Joshi – For capturing every sparkle, smile, dance move, and blessing so beautifully.
Bollywood for Life by Sneha Airani – For powering the Baraat with infectious energy and creating a one-of-a-kind procession moment!
A heartfelt thank you, to each sponsor, for enriching this Diwali with beauty, creativity, and joy.
Thanks to the wonderful Caterer Aditya and team with exotic, sumptuous , mouthwatering delicacies for all genres –
Looking forward for more such cultural events, so stay tuned.
Also Read: MMNA national hosts most memorable first in-person singles all day event in the Bay Area
