Washington, Jan 19 (AHN) A US-based nonprofit group of Marathi mothers marked the Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti with a sold-out cultural gathering in California’s Bay Area, bringing together ritual, conversation and community fundraising, with Indian film actor Ashvini Bhave as the featured guest.

MAI (Marathi Aai Initiative) hosted the Haldi-Kunku celebration on January 11 through its Bay Area chapter, drawing more than 100 women for an evening focused on cultural identity, motherhood and shared experience in the Indian diaspora, a media release said Sunday.

Organisers welcomed participants with traditional haldi-kunku rituals and a ceremonial vaan brought from India, while the venue was styled to resemble a traditional Marathi courtyard.

The centrepiece of the event was a moderated, informal conversation with Bhave, who spoke about motherhood, remaining rooted in Marathi values and raising children across cultures. The discussion was followed by photographs and informal conversations over a community banquet-style dinner, organisers said.

The programme included a fashion showcase in which community members walked the ramp wearing black sarees styled in both traditional and contemporary forms. Presented in partnership with sponsoring saree brands, the segment highlighted everyday women and sought to reflect cultural pride and confidence among mothers balancing family and professional roles in the United States.

“Ashvini Tai (Ashvini Bhave) brought extraordinary grace, depth, and warmth into the room,” said Sayli Natu, co-founder of MAI. She said the interaction fostered a “genuine, mother-to-mother connection” and helped turn admiration for the actor into shared community engagement.

Kshitija Karmarkar, another co-founder, said the organisation was built on the belief that culture is sustained through shared, lived experience. She said the rituals, conversations and the cause supported during the evening brought that belief to life and added depth to a gathering rooted in community and continuity.

MAI is a national nonprofit organisation that connects Marathi-raised mothers through cultural programmes, shared dialogue and community-led experiences, supporting families in the American diaspora while preserving cultural values across generations.