HinduTemple Lights Up For Diwali

[suchandra]

This was to be expected, no more such thing as "Hare Krishna Temple" in London, but "Hindu temple".

 

Crowds expected as Hindu temple lights up for Diwali

TIMES

 

posted Thursday 8 November 2007

 

Thousands of people are expected to attend Diwali celebrations at Bhaktivedanta Manor, in Aldenham, on Sunday.

The Hare Krishna temple, in Hilfield Lane, will be lit up with thousands of lights as part of the festivities.

Celebrations will begin at around 4pm and will include a production of the Story of Diwali by the Manor Youth Theatre Group, classical Indian dancers and a free vegetarian buffet.

Elstree and Borehamwood town mayor, Councillor Jean Heywood will be attending the event. She said: "I always look forward to attending the events at Bhaktivedanta Manor. I am always made to feel most welcome and I am particularly looking forward to this year's Diwali festival."

Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, marking the victory of good over evil and light over darkness from the ancient Indian epic Ramayana, when Lord Rama achieved victory over Ravana.

Gauri Das, the temple's president, said: "Diwali is a time for family, charity and prayer. We light a lamp for peace and prosperity and share a vegetarian feast with our friends and well-wishers."

 

Season of giving

 

rachana nakra

 

Posted online: Thursday , November 08, 2007 at 12:00:00

Updated: Thursday , November 08, 2007 at 12:04:06<!--Discuss this article-->

 

Diwali is our own veritable season of gifting, pretty much what Christmas is to the rest of the world. Slowly but surely, more and more people are doing away with gifting dry fruits and sweets, candelabra and tea sets, and shifting the envelope to charitable causes instead. Designer Pallavi Jaikishen, as loved for her homemade sweets and savoury hampers she so lovingly wraps in gold-ribboned silk as she is for her French rose-bordered saris, has had a change of heart this year. She decided to send out a letter for Diwali instead.

“I politely explained that the money that I usually spend on the Diwali gifts would instead be used to give presents to those in need,” she says. “It feels great to share with friends, but they are affluent and can afford them. Bringing a smile to a child’s face who has never received such gifts, is the most satisfying feeling,” adds Jaikishen.

She has been working with the Spastics Society and also St Judes—that supports children with cancer—for a while now and has made Diwali an occasion to spread cheer. Parcels of crackers and food, candy-floss machines, soft drink counters and music brought the festive spirit into the lives of these children.

Socialite Bijal Meswani was inspired by a friend and decided that this Diwali she would rather have students of municipal schools not go hungry. She will be gifting a meal for a year as part of the facility provided by ISKCON that supplies midday meals to students of municipal schools.

“I sent a note to all my friends that this Diwali, I’ll be donating money on their behalf to this organisation. It’s not a lot of money, but it’s about spreading the message,” says Meswani. The note was sent along with token gift of a diya that was, in fact, made by an NGO.

“It’s nice when people who can afford expensive gifts buy things made by NGOs,” says Devieka Bhojwani, who started the tradition of gifting charities on her friends’ behalf almost 10 years ago.

She sends money or sweets to cancer based charities and even throws parties for children. “It’s a great occasion to do something a little more purposeful,” she adds. And like Jaikishen believes, the festive season should be about giving till it hurts.