The ninth Ananda Mela (Joyful Festival of India) on July 28 and 29 drew 25,000 people to Redmond for a weekend of Indian cultural activities.

Washington State arts commissioner and artistic director Latha Sambamurti, who is also director of outreach and development of Ananda Mela, said it was a “very successful festival,” featuring many performances on three stages, hands-on activities, visual displays, a self-sustained Vedic Village, vendors, contests, food and more.

Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib, state Sen. Patty Kuderer, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene and Redmond Mayor John Marchione attended the festival.

Ananda Mela is one of the biggest festivals of Indian art and culture on the West Coast and the largest cultural festival in Redmond. It is organized by the Vedic Cultural Center (VCC) in Sammamish.

See www.anandamela.org for more.

Photos courtesy of the Vedic Cultural Center