Located in Toronto, Gerrard India Bazaar, commonly referred to as Little India, is a commercial South Asian ethnic district. The seventh-largest South Asian marketplace in North America is entirely located along a stretch of Gerrard Street. Recently, the Gerrard India Bazaar festival took place in Toronto which was attended by everyone, including the mayor!
The Gerrard India Bazaar Of Toronto!
Consul General @S_Nath_S participated in the inaugural ceremony of the 21st Festival of Asia organized by @GerrardIndiaBaz. The Festival provided opportunity to the visitors to have funfilled activities and enjoy the culture, music and cuisine of🇮🇳and other South Asian countries. pic.twitter.com/jvOnIMWnZZ
— IndiainToronto (@IndiainToronto) August 2, 2023
As she joined the masses at this location’s Gerrard India Bazaar, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow danced to Bollywood music and played bhangra as part of North America’s largest Indian festival. Over 300,000 people attended the 21st annual festival of the Gerrard India Bazaar, the oldest and largest Indian market in North America.
The two-day festival of food, Bollywood music, dance, and fun drew visitors from Indians, Pakistanis, whites, blacks, and a variety of other ethnic groups to Canada’s most ethnically diverse city. The festival was officially launched by the mayor of Toronto.
The bazaar, which covered seven blocks of Gerrard Street, remained crowded as revellers, fans of food and music, and shoppers flocked to the stages, food stalls, and shops as Bollywood music blared from loudspeakers.
Also Read: You May Soon Be Able To Charter A Flight From Chandigarh To Toronto And Vancouver
Celebration Of Indian Culture
According to Chand Kapoor, president, over 300,000 people attended the festival this year. In fact, more than 40 per cent of them having non-Indian ancestry. It has evolved into a fantastic platform for introducing the culture, cuisine, and sport to both the younger generations and the general public.
Throughout the two-day festival, more than 300 artists of diverse ethnic backgrounds gave performances. According to Tasneem Bandukwala, executive director, never before have the performers been so diverse. And Bollywood appears to be attracting everyone.
She claimed that hundreds of companies fanned out throughout the bazaar and did brisk business. In fact, Toronto officials stopped streetcar service to make room for two days of festivities.
The Gerrard India Bazaar was established in the early 1970s close to the Pape Avenue Sikh Temple. It was completed in 1969 and served as eastern Canada’s first gurdwara. The bazaar used to be the sole venue in North America to purchase groceries from India.
Also Read: You Can Name A Cockroach After Someone You Hate This Valentine’s Day At Toronto Zoo
Indians used to flock to Toronto to shop at Little India from distant locations like New York, Ottawa, Buffalo, and Montreal.
Cover Image Courtesy: IndiainToronto/ Twitter