FAMILIES had a fantastic time at a fun-packed community day.

Walthamstow's Mela has taken place for around 20 years and this year's event, in Chestnuts Showground, Forest Road, attracted big crowds keen to soak up the atmosphere and sample spicy food while enjoying the stage entertainment.

A fun fair and children’s entertainment including bouncy castles provided fun for the younger members of the audience with jewellery stalls, saris and henna painting for the adults.

Melas originate from the Indian sub continent. The word Mela comes from the Sanskrit "to meet" and is related to "milana" the verb to tune.

It is commonly used to describe a large gathering of people celebrating artistic, religious or political events - a fair or a festival.

In the same way that many fairs or holidays in Europe would begin on the feast days of saints. Melas in south Asia have their origins in religious gatherings such as Diwali, Eid or Vaisakhi.

Celebrations form an immeasurably important part of the sub-continent's fabric. Melas are feasts of sights, smells, sounds and tastes and will often feature bazaars, folk troupes, traditional and contemporary music and dance.

From the desert Melas of Rajasthan to the Baisakhi Melas of Bangladesh, Melas are held throughout South Asia.

Audiences can vary in size from a few hundred to a few million, the Kumbh Mela held in four locations every twelve years attracts 2.5million people over a 24 hour period.