When Prasanna Thothadri came to Sarnia 14 years ago, she says there were just three Tamil families in the community.
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Slowly that increased to five families belonging to the ethnolinguistic group native largely to southern India and Sri Lanka, she said.
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They’d gather together for celebrations, said Thothadri, an Indian classical dance instructor and Lambton College recreation therapy student.
“It was very nice to have somebody that speaks the same language and understands your culture and celebrates the same celebrations,” she said.
“Now, seeing it grow, it feels really good.”
About 20 Tamil families now call Sarnia home, and potluck gatherings have outgrown local basements, she said.
In October, Thothadri — who originally came to Sarnia to be with her husband, who already was working here — and others created Sarnia Tamil Sangam, a group dedicated to celebrating the culture and hosting events.
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Its first was Pongal, a harvest celebration, held at the Point Edward Best Western Jan. 20, featuring dancing, music by local band Bazooka and others, yoga, and traditional food from south India, said Thothadri, the group’s vice-president.
More than 150 people attended, including international students at Lambton College, she said.
“We’ve also been trying to help the students with finding jobs,” she said.
The group is planning another event in April for the Tamil new year, and another in the summer featuring dosa, a type of Indian food.
“We are planning to do some exciting things to introduce the Tamil culture” in Sarnia, she said.
Sangam in Tamil means gathering, and there are similar Tamil sangams in other communities, Thothadri said.
People looking for more information can check out the group on Facebook and Instagram, or email them at [email protected].
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