The Indian Women's Association (IWA) of Singapore is holding a shopping bazaar on Oct 18 at the Hilton Hotel, featuring over 120 vendors from India, Indonesia, Thailand, the US, Dubai and Singapore.

With the festival of lights just around the corner, the bazaar, which is expected to attract more than 3,000 visitors, will showcase everything from clothes to accessories to help you prepare for the festive season.

The IWA, which is a non-profit organisation, started the IWA Bazaar 13 years ago with a handful of vendors. Now it holds two bazaars every year - the Summer Bazaar and the Diwali Bazaar. From the 70 stalls at last year's Diwali Bazaar, the number has grown to over 120 stalls this year.

The Diwali Bazaar will be officially opened by India's high commissioner to Singapore Vijay Thakur Singh at 10am on Oct 18. Its proceeds will go to the IWA Vidya Scholarship, which is given to a young Singaporean student pursuing a bachelor's degree at the Singapore Management University. Some of the money will also be donated to Swami Old Age Home, Transient Workers Count 2 and I Care projects.

Said IWA president Piu Lahiri: "We have alotted six stalls to various charities that will be selling candles and diyas made by the underprivileged. We urge people to come forward to support them."

She added: "I promise visitors the widest variety of items that the IWA Bazaar has ever featured. We will have products to suit every purse."

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