Sanskriti of NJ’s Dakshin Mahotsav, held on May 3rd, 2025, was a spectacular celebration of Southern Indian New Year traditions, a beautiful fusion of culture, creativity, and community spirit. This year, we added a fun twist by theming the event around legendary music composers and choreographers, celebrating their timeless contributions through sound, style, and stage.

The event opened with a breathtaking Chenda Melam performance (by Malabar Melam team), a surprise act that truly set the tone for the evening. As the drummers made their way down the aisle and took to the stage, the powerful beats gradually intensified, leaving the audience in awe. It was a goosebump moment none of us will forget!

What followed was an explosion of energy, talent, and heart - with electrifying performances by professional music and dance schools (SSK Manollasini and Shiva Jyoti Dance Academy) as well as our incredible local community members. From Ilayaraja to A.R. Rahman to Anirudh, every generation of South Indian music was honored with flair - blending old-school nostalgia with fresh, modern vibes.

True to Dakshin tradition, the fashion show led by Shilpa Bekal brought families together on stage to showcase regional New Year festivals. Themed around celebrations across South Indian states, the show featured a wonderful mix of models of all ages representing family festivities in full festive flair.

A special shoutout to Anitha Shriram, our Dakshin Liaison, and our dedicated event chairs, Prashanti Kumar, Sindhura Reddy, Sujay Viswanath, and Vidya Konathala for their outstanding leadership and behind-the-scenes coordination. Your efforts made this event truly seamless and successful.

And of course, what is Dakshin without its legendary food!
Our culinary maestros Swetha Reddy and Abhinetri Chandan curated a mouthwatering menu featuring iconic dishes from five different South Indian states. This year, guests were treated to some fun surprises -including paan stations and the show-stealing ‘gadbad’ ice cream from Urban Scoop (a new ice cream shop in Livingston) that had everyone coming back for seconds!

A big thank you to our prize sponsors for adding excitement to each contest! Sweet Kneads by Ridhima and 16 Handles (Culinary Contest), Vineeta Khanna of Orator Academy (Storywriting), Priya Nallathambi of Studio 3S Portraits (Photography), Shilpa Bekal of Code Miracles (Art Competition), and Manila Agarwal & Anupama Narang’s dance class vouchers (Reels Challenge) - we truly appreciate your support!

A heartfelt thank you to P & K Decors for transforming our venue into a visual feast, and to the Habitat Flash photography team for beautifully capturing the event’s spirit in every frame.

Last but not least, to our incredible volunteers- THANK YOU. Your time, energy, and dedication are the heartbeat of our events. On behalf of the entire Sanskriti of NJ team, we are deeply grateful for your contributions and commitment:

Anupama Kaul • Archana Gollamudi • Bhavik Domadia • Jyothi Venigandla • Manoj Hejib • Nithya Venkatesh • Puneet Kartar • Raghu Vadlakonda • Sameera Janaswamy • Sandhya Kura • Srividya Sankaran • Sudeep Amin •  Swapna Bhatt • Visalakshi Vaidyanathan • Vijayeta Domadia

Teen Volunteers:

Akhil Jetty • Ansh Nuniwal • Ashvik • Harshitha Janaswamy • Ishaan reddy • Jai Hejib • Jatin Komati • Parikshit • Rhea Menon • Sumedh Ameti • Vivaan

Special Thanks & Acknowledgments

A huge appreciation to everyone involved in dinner service for ensuring everything ran smoothly and seamlessly — your efforts made a big difference in creating a memorable experience for all.

Sanskriti of NJ is deeply grateful to our generous sponsors for their continued support:

Title Sponsor

• Reliance Surfaces

Gold Sponsors

• P & K Decor

• Best Brains, Livingston

 Silver Sponsors

• Rachana Maheshwari – Coldwell Banker Realty

• Manisha Sethi – Luxury Real Estate

• Harleen Manko – New York Life Insurance Company

Bronze Sponsor

• Geetha Rajavarapu, Founder of VG Paralegal and Professional Services LLC

We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to all the vendors, and to each and every one of you from our amazing community who came together to celebrate with us.

We’ve captured some beautiful memories - take a look at the event highlights here:

Dakshin Mahotsav 2025 Photo Gallery