Divali High Chai x Eindeloos India
Divali High Chai: an ode to female leadership
Celebrate Divali with us and be inspired by the power of feminine light!
DesiYUP and Stichting Laxmi are joining forces during the Endless India Festival for a special event: Divali High Chai – a celebration of connection, culture, and the power of women, in the light of Divali.
Sunday 12 October 2025
Theater het Kruispunt
Middenbaan 111, 2991 CS, Barendrecht
Maximum capacity: 50 people
Time High Chai: 11:30 - 13:00 hrs
Start of stage program: 14:15 hrs
A Shared Mission
While Stichting Laxmi is committed to preserving Hindustani art and culture, DesiYUP has been providing a platform for creators and thinkers with Indian and Surinamese roots since 2011. Together, we are creating a meaningful space where the voice, strength, and creativity of women are central – from finance and entrepreneurship to media, art, and culture.
What is Divali High Chai?
The Divali High Chai offers a unique opportunity to deepen your network with other female entrepreneurs, civil society leaders, executives, and professionals in top positions within government and business. In a warm and festive atmosphere, we will forge valuable connections and create space for meeting, dialogue, and collaboration.
Shivali Bhammer’s “Queen of Wands”
Especially for this edition, we welcome British-Indian artist Shivali Bhammer. With her powerful spoken word performance Queen of Wands, she pays tribute to female spirituality, power, and independence. Her contribution is an artistic reflection on the balance between tradition and modernity – a recognizable quest for many women worldwide.
Speakers Program:
Welcome & Opening by Stichting Laxmi
A warm welcome, including the meaning of Divali from a female perspective and the mission behind the High Chai.
Theme: Impactful Leadership
An inspiring keynote on female leadership, societal impact, and inner strength during Divali.
Theme: Financial Self-Sufficiency & Entrepreneurship
About the importance of financial autonomy and networking among women with a migration background.
Excerpt from “Queen of Wands” by Shivali Bhammer
A powerful performance about female spirituality, freedom, and identity.
Closing & Networking High Chai
By Mahesvari Autar, entrepreneur and founder of culture platform DesiYUP.
🧡 Please note: this program is exclusively for women and focuses on intergenerational and intercultural connection.
Participation includes the theater program
- Therefore, buy your ticket on the website of Theater het Kruispunt, and your participation will be confirmed.
- Please also separately confirm your participation in the Divali High Chai by registering with DesiYUP, due to catering. There are a limited number of seats available.
- All snacks are fully vegetarian and served in a tasteful Divali-themed atmosphere.
Keynote speakers:
- Kavita Parbhudayal, Director of Chronic Care at Zuyderland Medical Center
- Gina Doekhie, Master of AI and Forensic Science
📩 Buy Tickets here (website in Dutch)
Please note: this is a personal invitation. Please let us know if you will be attending by September 12th at the latest via stichtinglaxmi@gmail.com.
About Stichting Laxmi:
Culture, connection, and female empowerment
Stichting Laxmi was founded on July 25, 2016. The board consists of four women with a shared mission: to create meaningful connections between different target groups in society. Since then, these four dedicated women have been working wholeheartedly for community building, emancipation, and the preservation of culture.
Laxmi is named after the goddess of prosperity, wisdom, and female power – values that are reflected in everything the foundation undertakes. With the organization of an inclusive and spiritually charged Divali celebration in Barendrecht as its spearhead, Stichting Laxmi brings people from diverse backgrounds together. Through their approach of celebrating together and learning together, the Diwali celebration has grown into a cultural highlight in the region.
In addition to cultural events, Stichting Laxmi is strongly committed to women’s development. Through workshops, information sessions, and meeting moments, they contribute to the visibility, strength, and talent development of women – both within and outside the Hindustani community.
Within the framework of Endless India, DesiYUP and Stichting Laxmi are collaborating on an inspiring series of programs where female leadership, cultural expression, and spiritual deepening are central. Together we create space for new stories, unexpected encounters, and endless inspiration.
This inspiring piece, produced by DesiYUP, explores the romantic facets of love at first sight and forms the perfect prelude to the magical world of dance recital Sita Kalyanam.