BATA Float won at India Independence Day Parade

Fremont, California, USA: Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), an umbrella organization of over 40 Bay Area Indian organizations representing different regions/states and culture, celebrated India'a Independence Day by organizing the Festival of India and Parade in Fremont, California on August 18th and 19th. The festival featured a two day Mela and a Parade featuring floats representing States of India on the streets of Fremont. The Grand Marshal at the parade this year was popular Bollywood Star Sonu Sood, Co-Grand Marshal was Bollywood Actress Zabyn Khan, and celebrity guests from India were Bollywood Singers Rani and Prem.

This year's parade showcased several floats from different organizations representing culture and traditions of regions and states of India. The judges of FIA parade have selected Bay Area Telugu Associations' (BATA) float for the Second Place among all floats. The second place trophy was presented to BATA committee and volunteers on the main stage of the gala celebrations held after the parade.

BATA's float depicted India's traditional wedding ('Pelli') set up and process as the main theme. The float was beautifully decorated with traditional wedding mandapamu, homam, colorful flowers, decorative clothing, paint colors, glitters, banana leaves/plants, and traditional elephant like arts. The most marvelous part of the float was having bride, bridegroom, and the priest along with several friends and families on the float depicting the Indian traditional wedding process to all attendees at the parade. Though out the parade, it was seen that the priest reading out the mantras and bride and bridegroom performing various steps of wedding on the float including 'jilakara bellam', 'thali', 'dandalu', and 'thalambralu', etc. There were also the brides from different states of India on the float (Andhra, Tamilnadu, Kartnataka, Kerala, Bengal, Maharastra, Panjab, Gujarat, Orissa, Kashmir, etc.) representing the diversity of the Indian culture.

The scene of the Float brought back the memories to many of viewers of their wedding days and the Indian culture. In front of the Float, there was a beautiful sign indicating 'Rama weds Sita' along with artistically colored and decorated arch and covered the Float. The huge cutout of Elephants on both sides of the Float looked like they are pulling the Float. Also, colored cutouts of wedding scenes on the Float were highlights on the Float. The entire Float was decorated with different colored decorative clothing, flowers, scenic cutouts, and wooden constructs made the Float look like a real wedding venue giving a clear picture to all viewers. Several BATA members, volunteers, and supports have walked along with Float wearing traditional outfits such as Sarees, Lahengas, Kurthas, Panchelu, etc.

Thousands of people gathered on the parade route, on the streets of Fremont that were blocked for regular traffic all day for the festivities, to view the parade. During the parade, the parade participants as well as the spectators chanted the patriotic slogans such as 'Bharath matha ki, Jai', 'Matharam matharam, vandematharam', etc.

Several of volunteers have worked for couple of weeks in planning and preparing the BATA's float in order it be most attractive and representing the Indian culture and patriotic colors of India. The BATA float was led by several of Telugu people that included children, youngsters as well as seniors. Several prominent leaders from local Telugu community that include Jayaram Komati, Hema Rao Nandipati, Vijaya Aasuri, Veeru Vuppala, Prasad Vasireddy, Ramesh Konda, Srinivas Kolli, Prasad Mangina, Srilu Veligeti, Ravi Thiruveedhula, Yugandhar Reddy, Sumanth Pusuluri, Yaswanth Kudaravalli, Jyostna Bendapudi, Rajesh Chavali, Jagadeesh Babu, etc. led the walking group of Telugus that accompanied the float. Also, while the float was moving in the parade, group of Telugu girls and boys danced in front of the float representing the cultures of states of India. Several young children on the BATA float performed different dances to represent the India wedding process, celebration and the theme.

BATA volunteers have spent several days in and nights designing, constructing and decorating the float. More specifically, the volunteers have spent several hours in making the designed cut-outs and painting them as well as assembling the float late into the nights. The float was built on a long open-top truck using the hard wood boards and huge cut-outs. Jhansi Thiruveedhula, Karun Veligeti, Hari Chikoti, Veeru Vuppala, and Vijaya Aasuri have architected the theme and design of the Float.

A large team of volunteers Jhansi, Karun, Hari, Durga, Sridevi, Swathi, Srilu, Kalyani, Ravi, Prasad, Kolli, Keerthi, Srikar, Vihar, Veena, Rajesh, Shiva, Shawn, Naresh, Shravanthi, Narasimha Rao, Aditya and many others have worked along with the entire BATA committee members in constructing the float.

Speaking at this occasion, Dr. Ramesh Konda (President of BATA) praised and thanked all the volunteers who have worked hard in preparing the float in most gorgeous and eye-catching way. One could say that BATA has mastered the skills in fostering India's culture and heritage through Float and other activities in the Bay Area year after year for over 40 years now. This was the 6th consecutive year that BATA's Float was selected to receive prize. Additionally, Ramesh said without the dedication of BATA executive committee and support from BATA's regular sponsors, this float would not have been possible. Also, Ramesh thanked all the people who have rallied with the BATA float.

The BATA committee consists of Dr. Ramesh Konda (President), Kamesh Malla (Vice President), Kalyan Kattamuri (Secretary), Sirisha Battula (Treasurer), Yaswanth Kudaravalli (Joint Secretary), Vijaya Aasuri, Veeru Vuppala, Jyostna Bendapudi, Sumanth Pusuluri, and Kondal Komaragiri.