About Anandamela, Inc.
The oldest Bangladeshi organization in the Greater Sacramento area — a community of volunteers spreading joy through culture, service, and connection since 2004.
Our Journey
Two decades of gathering in joy — from a small volunteer group to Northern California's largest Bengali festival.
- 2004
Anandamela is founded
Anandamela begins as a community volunteer organization to celebrate and share Bengali heritage — today the oldest Bangladeshi organization in Greater Sacramento.
- 2006
Kids take the podium
Anandamela holds a debate competition for children and youth — one of its early community programs.
- 2008
The first Grand Boishakhi Mela
Anandamela hosts its first Bengali New Year festival — the start of a spring tradition that grows into Northern California's largest Bengali gathering.
- 2020–21
Two years online
Through the pandemic the Mela carries on virtually, keeping the community connected until it's safe to gather again.
- 2022
Back together, outdoors
A free, open-air Grand Triple Event — Grand Boishakhi Mela, Eid Anandamela and Rabindra-Jayanti — at Village Green Park in Rancho Cordova.
- 2023
Quiz shows arrive
At the Orangevale Community Center, the Mela adds its first quiz show for children and a game show for adults.
- 2024
A new home in Folsom
The Mela moves to the Folsom Community Center, the Mayor of Folsom attends, and the Ananda-Muhurto YouTube channel launches.
See 2024 recap → - 2025
1,000+ guests and a TV spotlight
Mayor Sarah Aquino inaugurates the Mela, and CBS's Good Day Sacramento features the celebration live.
See 2025 recap → - 2026
A record 1,200+ guests
25 performances, 70+ performers and a flash mob that brought the house down.
See 2026 recap → - Next · 2027
Grand Boishakhi Mela 2027
Saturday, April 10 at the Folsom Community Center. Come celebrate with us.
Our Why
To spread joy through community activities that stimulate personal and social transformation.
“We have a choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place or not to bother.”— Jane Goodall
Our Vision
A transformed community that finds joy in the relentless pursuit of wholehearted goodness, respectful relationships, cultural excellence, peer-to-peer learning, and community service.
Our Mission
In all our endeavors, we are guided by our core values and regard these values as superior to all other interests — captured in our CREATE framework:
- C
Collaborate and organize community events to promote joyful and respectful social interactions.
- R
Revitalize peer to peer co-learning to accelerate our personal growth.
- E
Establish and support charitable actions to spread the joy of giving.
- A
Assist and inspire Bangladeshi American children and youths to connect with the community and with our roots.
- T
Transform ourselves individually to become the ambassadors of goodness and integrity.
- E
Embrace and promote a community culture of respect, civility, empathy, and compassion to live our lives joyfully.
Our Values
Integrity · Joy · Goodness · Innovation — lived out through:
Civility and Respect
Interact with civility. Respect all individuals and viewpoints.
Empathy and Compassion
Seek first to understand other's perspective and situation. Act with kindness in all circumstances.
Goodness and Integrity
Act with good intentions. Value honesty and transparency.
Our History
Anandamela, Inc. began as a community volunteer organization in 2004, making it the oldest Bangladeshi organization in the Greater Sacramento area. What started as a small group of neighbors wanting to keep Bengali traditions alive has grown into Northern California's premier Bengali cultural celebration — our flagship Grand Boishakhi Mela (Bengali New Year festival), a tradition the team has proudly maintained since 2008, now drawing over a thousand guests each spring at the Folsom Community Center.
Every part of it — the stage performances, the food stalls, the decorations, the hospitality — is powered entirely by volunteers who give their time because they believe in the mission.
The name says it plainly: ananda means joy and mela means a gathering. A gathering of joy — open to anyone who wants to be part of it.
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.”— Elizabeth Andrew