When its Vaisakhi, its Dance, Fashion, Dhol & Bhangra!
By Jawahar Malhotra
HOUSTON: It’s been four years since the last time Jasmeeta Singh took on such a huge event
when she held the last Vaisakhi Mela all on her own (see https://www.indoamerican-
news.com/gajda-wajda-punjab-vaisakhi-2019-unites-bhangra-and-fashion/) at the White Oaks
Music Center in the near East side. In between, she has taken on a few events for the India
Culture Center where she spent two years as President.
This year, with COVID gone and with her skills honed, she’s back!
Two Sundays ago, on April 23, Jasmeeta was doing the sort of event she loves to do. This time
it was the celebration of Vaisakhi at the GSH Event Center on West Belfort and Beltway 8 West
in front of over 1,000 people in theatre style seating in the huge main hall. In the main lobby
people could take pictures in a Punjabi countryside setting and in the foyers, there were vendor
booths and plenty of free chole puri, rosewater flavored lassi and Punjabi pinnis from 5:30 till 7
pm before the main program started.
Though the event was presented by the newly formed Punjabi Society of Greater Houston, it
was an event which had all of Jasmeeta’s distinctive trademarks all over it. There was the
pulsating Punjabi music; booming dhols, colorful sets (designed by Décor One) and costumes,
digital screen backdrops that matched the performances; a fashion show and 180 participants in
over 15 different teams doing bhangra, Giddha and Bollywood dance.
And of course, what would the show be without a performance by Jasmeeta, the talented kathak
dancer. Or without the support of so many sponsors who trust Jasmeeta to provide excellent
entertainment and showcase Punjabi culture.
Among these were
Grand Sponsors: Gurminder Singh Padda; Aman Sidhu; Pritam Singh Toor & Surinder Kaur
Toor; Sarabjit Singh & Amarpreet Kaur; Ragvir Singh Pancal; Jasdeep Singh Buttar; Jasmeeta
& Bobby Singh and Sapram Singh
Diamond Sponsors: Dr. Ruhi Soni; Dr. TJ Sahota; Malla Mekala
Gold Sponsors: Jasvinder Singh Khangara; Manjit Singh Dhendsa; Gurmit & Seema Bhatia;
Hardeep Singh Grewal; Harry Shah; Harinder Singh & Jasleen Kaur
Silver sponsors: Bhupinder Singh; Mahesh Wadhwa; Inderjit Cheema & Brinder Cheema;
Daljit Singh & Sukhpreet Kaur and Kulwant Singh.
The entire event was developed through the untiring efforts of a team composed of Bobby Kaur;
Raman Johar; Soma Grover; Rupy Kindra; Gurmeet Kindra; Jasleen Kaur; Akash Singh;
Sukhpreet Kaur; Gagan Singh; Kavneet Kaur; Pritpal Puri, Mohan Grewal; Kamaljeet Singh
Otal; Seema Bhatia; Gagan Bhatia; Sandeep Kaur; Ekta Kaur Singh; Harmeet Singh; Shobhna;
Harsh Singh; BJ Josan; Agam Singh; Baljit Bering; Rasna Kaur; Sukha Singh; Amana and
Tarlochan Singh