What went down at a glittering Diwali gala at the Fairmont Royal York
The Lit Gala raised an impressive $130,000 for H2O4ALL
On November 1, the Fairmont Royal York filled up with a parade of glitzy partygoers dressed in sparkly lehengas and metallic kurtas, ready to celebrate Diwali in style. The Lit Gala, founded by Dr. Sapna Makhija, Aryan Raj Nigam, Melissa Krishna and Akhil Chandan, was borne out of a small Diwali gathering Makhija began hosting at her condo in 2015. When she realized a city as diverse as Toronto was missing a wider Diwali celebration, Makhija decided to combine her love of planning a great party with her interest in charity fundraisers. “We wanted an excuse to celebrate our culture while also benefiting a cause back home. It’s a party with a purpose,” says Makhija. The first Lit Gala took place in November of 2023 at One King West, earning an endorsement from Toronto Star columnist Shinan Govani, who called it “the best new gala in town.”
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This year, the cause was H2O4ALL, a charity providing sustainable clean-water solutions to underserved communities. Overall, guests raised $130,000 in support of bringing safe drinking water to families in need in India.
The night began with guests being serenaded by tabla and saxophone players, a photo booth by George Pimentel, and food stations serving Hakka dishes, dosas and biryani by chef Ashish Sethi. After a live auction for business class tickets to India hosted by Dave Keystone, DJ Rajen kept guests on their feet until 2 a.m. with old-school hip hop interspersed with Punjabi hits and Bollywood bangers. Here’s a selection of the best outfits from the event.
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