BY VEENA RAO

Over 6000 people thronged the Global Mall in Norcross on October 18 and 19 for the sixth annual Global Mela; a celebration of Diwali and Eid. The weekend long fair was a fun event for the whole family and included cultural programs, kids activities, special deals on shopping and plenty of specially priced food.

“The mela was well appreciated by the community,” said a happy Shiv Aggarwal, owner of Global Mall. “People visited on Saturday, and told their friends about the mela. Hence, the crowd was even better on Sunday,” he said.

The family affair included free games, cotton candy, popcorn, balloons, face painting and arts & crafts for kids. Also, there were four magic shows each day.

“People got bargains on shopping,” said Aggarwal. “At other melas, vendors hike their prices. At the Global Mela, vendors slashed their prices for the special occasion.”

The cultural programs at the Impact Conference Center on Sunday were well attended. Atlanta dance schools and groups including Kruti Dance Academy, Nritya Natya Kala Bharti, Anupa Thakurta, the Silent Killers and the Georgia Tech Bhangra group showcased local talent to an appreciative audience.

Several non-profits like Raksha, Ekal Vidyalaya and others had set up booths at the venue. The Art of Living conducted a one-hour seminar that was attended by over 70 people.

Aggarwal thanked the community and the host of volunteers for their support.

“Every year, the mela is getting more recognition,” he said. “The economy being slow, the retailers may have had a lower volume on sales this year, but overall, the response was tremendous.”