The spirit of festivity and celebrations hit a high note on 6th October, 2017, at the grand annual celebrations hosted by Taj Diplomatic Enclave and The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi. As a precursor to the festival of lights Diwali, the evening was a confluence of art, cuisine and culture. Bright flower garlands draped and strung up, floral rangolis on the floors at the entrance, bright oil lamps or diyas everywhere, a forest of glass lamp installation at the party venue at pool side, was all a showcase of what is being called the ‘true spirit of Tajness’.
The cultural highs were a blend of traditional and trendy, for which Taj brought in the well-known and popular sufi 
singer Sonam Kalra and the Sufi Gospel Project and The Natya Stem Dance Kampni. The event commenced with an uplifting and energizing performance by the Chenda drummers. Sonam Kalra presented some of the most powerful vocal pieces, accompanied by a unique fusion of the flute, keyboard and traditional percussions. Sonam’s brainchild, ‘The Sufi Gospel Project’, believes in blending the many voices of faith through tranquil poetry, prayer and music to create a rare voice of faith.
The Stem Dance Kampni presented a repertoire of traditional and contemporary mix comprising of performances like ‘Ushas’, a piece which depicted the theme of victory of righteousness over the demonic and light over darkness, ‘Dance of light’ where dancers portray the dynamism of reflection and brilliance of both human spirit and mind and ‘Dhimsa’, a tribal dance of Andhra Pradesh which represented the essence of Indian dance, that of inclusivity and harmony. By the way, the STEM in their name stands for SPACE, TIME, ENERGY, MOVEMENT
Taj kept up with its tradition of giving back to the society, where the patrons were gifted with traditional diyas handcrafted by the visually challenged members of National Association for the Blind (NAB).
The culinary spread was sumptuous and varied, with live barbecue and seafood counters, pizza station, an Oyster and Mussel bar, a carpaccio station churning out piquant combinations and flavours. Exquisitely crafted Organic Date Pickle stuffed Paniarams, Pepper Chicken Appams, Blueberry pate de fruit, Chocolate Crispeals, amongst many other culinary crafts.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Gaurav Pokhriyal, General Manager, Taj Diplomatic Enclave, said, “With the festive season coming in, it is always a delight to spread cheer and joy through heart warming celebrations by Taj Diplomatic Enclave. Today’s magical performances have set the perfect tone for the festival of lights. I take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy and prosperous Diwali.”
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Satyajeet Krishnan, General Manager, The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi said, “We are delighted to present this exclusive confluence of art, music, culture and cuisine that upholds the rich heritage of our country. This is a special festive season for us as the iconic Hotel completes 39 years of timeless hospitality and legendary service.”
