The Saathi Multicultural Association of Australia (Saathi MAA) welcomed the community to its Diwali Market, bringing together multicultural Australians under one roof.
The Market transformed Arthur Wren Hall in Hampton Park into a dazzling celebration of light and colour on Sunday 5 October.
Each stall, adorned with colourful fabrics, sparkling jewellery, and glowing diyas, added to the hall’s festive glow.
While Diwali, known as the Festival of Lights, itself falls on 20 October, the market provided a space for supporting small entrepreneurs in the community, according to founder Chanchal Kumavat.
“We are bringing all multicultural people under one roof, from Sri Lankans, Cambodians, Vietnamese, and some Jewish, some Indian, Pakistani, Afghanistan, and Irani,” Chanchal said.
“So many small entrepreneurs are here, and they are putting their stuff, like products, jewellery, clothing, perfumes, oils, and other stuff.
“We believe small entrepreneurs are the backbone of the country. We are providing them a place where they can showcase their product at a minimal cost because they are struggling.
“Every year, they come, showcase their product and share the multicultural unity and strength.”
Many vendors shared that their businesses started to meet the demand for cultural products that were hard to find in Australia, allowing communities to stay connected to their heritage.
Small business owner Aishwarya Budhiraja from House of Padma explained that she started her business nearly two years ago after moving to Australia and missing the vibrant designs of India.
“I missed my family and a little bit of Indian stuff a lot. I was trying to find it, but I couldn’t find it anywhere else,” Aishwarya said.
“So that clicked, my idea of starting this business, and I wanted to bring those beautiful designs back here in Australia so that everybody can feel at home when they enter the home.”
Aishwarya added that Diwali Market was an invaluable opportunity for small businesses to connect with a multicultural community.
“I was here with them last year as well, and it was an amazing turnout,” she said.
“I see that everybody here is so happy, and it’s doubled the number of stalls we had last year. I think that’s progress.
“Everybody here is a small business, and we are a part of the small business community. It’s amazing to see people coming over from different cultural backgrounds and buying our products.”
Another vendor Rupali Ghaswala from Aaria’s Creations said she started her business nearly three years ago, combining her passion for crafts with her desire to share festive traditions.
“When we started the business, we didn’t know where to go, what to do, or how to sell our products,” she said.
“So Chanchal (founder) was like: Why don’t you join us as Saathi? She has always been very supportive with the space and how to promote our business.”
