THE Civic Mayor of Tameside joined hundreds of people from the local community to celebrate Diwali and the Hindu New Year at a temple in Ashton-under-Lyne.
Councillor Tafheen Sharif said she enjoyed taking part in the celebration and meeting many families at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, the Hindu temple on Lees Road.
They came together to experience the vibrant sounds, flavours and colours of Diwali – ‘the Festival of Light’ – and the Hindu New Year on November 12 and 13.
It was one of the largest devotional celebrations anywhere across Greater Manchester.
Kinjalbhai Patel, a volunteer at the temple, explained: “Diwali and the Hindu New Year bring values of goodwill, charity and harmony across communities in the UK.
“As families continue to grapple with challenges, it was heartwarming to bring some festive joy and smiles to the people of Tameside and Greater Manchester and share memories that will bring hope and light for the rest of the year and beyond.”
The Diwali festivities included a special ceremony to bless business owners, families as well as students with righteous prosperity and success.
One of the highlights for visitors was the annakut – ‘a mountain of food’ consisting of hundreds of dishes freshly prepared by devotees – that was artistically arranged as a devotional offering of the first meal of the New Year, made in thanksgiving to God.
To add to the festive experience, visitors enjoyed delicious vegetarian sweet and savoury snacks and various souvenirs on both days of the festival.
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir provides various educational, community and spiritual activities for children, youths, families and the elderly. It is also a focal place of worship for hundreds of Hindus in the Greater Manchester area.
For more information about the Mandir, visit baps.org/manchester