Sanhoti Bridges Bengali Heritage and Local Charity in Orange County
In September 2025, a group of Bengali families across Southern Orange County came together in Costa Mesa to build something new — a Durga Puja celebration created entirely by volunteers, so families would no longer have to drive to Los Angeles or beyond to celebrate their heritage close to home. They named the organization Sanhoti, Bengali for “solidarity.” Just one year later, the group has outgrown its first venue and built a fast-growing membership base — a clear sign that Southern California’s Bengali community had a real need for a home like this. But Sanhoti’s story goes well beyond the celebration itself. As a registered 501(c)(3), the all-volunteer group has turned its momentum into charitable work that reaches far beyond its own cultural circle. Members have joined Second Harvest Food Bank’s Walk to Feed OC and partnered with the food bank on a distribution event, Food For All With Sanhoti. In both 2025 and 2026, the group organized fundraisers for Laura’s House, a local nonprofit supporting survivors of domestic violence — a cause chosen simply because it mattered to the wider community Sanhoti now calls home. It’s a reminder that cultural preservation and civic participation can reinforce each other. A community that builds a strong home for its own traditions often finds it has more to give its neighbors.