The evening was a riot of colourful pom poms and umbrellas, flags, Indian textiles, bougainvillea and wonderful costumes.

Sixty-seven people enjoyed an Indian feast prepared by Elizabeth, Vicki, Ilonka, Margaret and Barbara, with a selection of beers and wines labelled to commemorate the event.

Princess Irine Gupta and Warwick Schofield received Best Dressed awards while Daniela L’Abbate and Chuck Peters were runners-up.

Sonja Cairns continued a lucky streak from last year’s trivia nights, winning an opal and sterling silver pendant in the lucky dip.

Classic Bollywood films, projected onto a large screen, paused respectfully when AOC Poet Laureate, The Shovel, rose to recite a poem written for the occasion.

Caz Peters performed a graceful belly dance (joined briefly by Princess Irine, Ilonka Patkos and a gyrating George Mulder); Jenni Brammall gave an update on the Australian Opal Centre project; and Vicki Bokros wielded both microphone and sequin-spangled lucky dip bin with style and panache.

The food was exquisite and the bar well patronised. Fragrant chai tea, hot from the stove, warmed guests as the evening cooled.

Proceeds from the evening are much needed by the Australian Opal Centre, in a year during which the centre is busy with grant-funded projects but has no external funding for its regular operations.

A thousand thanks to the cooks, the entertainers and to Annie, George, Bob, Stewart, Barb, Marilyn, Mickey, Kaye, Knud and John.

An overnight sell-out, the Bollywood Feast was a fabulously successful ‘trial run’ for larger fundraising spectaculars to come.