Ravali Renukunta

(Left to right): senior Revanth Renukunta, senior Esha Singh, junior Urvi Jain and senior Nimish Nookala celebrate their culture at “Taste of India” on April 20, 2024. The group performed a folk dance from the Punjab region of India called the bhangra.

From Bollywood to Indian cuisine and shopping opportunities, this year’s Taste of India event had it all. The event hosted an abundance of activities for locals to join in and experience the culture of India. 

Old Dominion University’s Chartway Arena housed the 15th annual Taste of India event on April 20, 2024. Taste of India is “the most popular cultural single-day event organized by any ethnic group in the region,” according to the Taste of India website. The website reports an average attendance of 7,000 to 10,000 people each year.   

Many Ocean Lakes Dolphins went out to celebrate their culture.

“Attending Taste of India really boiled down to one thing… supporting my community,” said junior Kaushik Tatta, who attended the festival with friends. “Since I brought along a couple of friends from school, it also served as an opportunity for me to introduce them to several different Indian cultures.”