Sydney: Over 20,000 Indians and Australians celebrated Diwali festival together at the Fairfield showgrounds on a bright summer day.

The 'Diwali Mela', organised by the Hindu Council of Australia for the fourth consecutive year, has been added as an important religious and cultural event to the annual calendar of Sydney's festivals and fairs.

"We want to showcase Diwali for the locals here and make it a national festival for all Australians to celebrate. We are hoping to get funding for lighting up Sydney and Melbourne next year like Delhi and Mumbai," Dr A Balasubramaniam, chairperson of the Hindu Council, said.

The Hindu Council has also requested the Australian government to declare a holiday for all Hindus on Diwali.

Diwali is a festival for not just people from the sub-continent, but migrants from Bali, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Kenya and South Africa also participate in the celebrations, the Council said.

The festival was celebrated with "pujas" for Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi, on a stage decorated with flowers and rangoli. It was followed by variety entertainment, which included classical Bharat Natyam, Bhangra and dances on latest Bollywood numbers.

The spectacular show of fireworks brought back memories of "Atishbaji" at home.

Indian High Commissioner to Australia R S Rathore specially flew in from the capital Canberra for the event while Consul General of India in Sydney M Ganapathi and Mayor of Strathfield Virginia Judge also attended the function.

"It is a big attraction for new migrants still missing home. It is a great place to make new friends and network and I love the food," said Suhasini, a computer engineer who emigrated from Hyderabad two years ago.

The fair also had stalls offering designer Indian outfits, steel utensils, food outlets with traditional Diwali sweets and savouries as also those showcasing yoga, meditation, vegetarianism and community service.

But the biggest crowd-puller till the very end was those selling mehendi (henna tattoos).

"The craze for henna tattoos is catching up here and more people want herbal tattoos," said Padma Jain, who decorated over 40 hands with mehendi.

Many used the fair and the auspicious time in the Hindu calendar to launch their new products and companies.

The festival concluded with an effigy of Ravana going up in flames. For many children born in Australia, it was an introduction to the demon God and the triumph of good over evil.

The lamps proclaiming "Happy Diwali, Explore India" glowed in the darkness long after the crowds had thinned.

PTI