A new photo gallery has been released showing hundreds of Milton Keynes residents gathering to celebrate Diwali.
On Sunday November 6 the Milton Keynes community came together to celebrate the famous Hindu celebration at Medbourne Community Pavilion.
People from all backgrounds came along to enjoy the ‘festival of light’ where they could tuck into a selection of vegetarian food.
Visitors witnessed the display of annakut – ‘a mountain of food’ consisting of hundreds of dishes freshly prepared by devotees, artistically arranged as a devotional offering of the first meal of the New Year made in thanksgiving to God and to seek blessings for the year ahead.
Younger children joined the celebrations at a dedicated art zone which included model-making sessions.
Plenty of well-known Milton Keynes officials stopped by including: Councillor Mick Legg, Deputy Mayor of Milton Keynes,deputy mayoress Mandy Legg, Councillor Peter Marland and vice president of the Milton Keynes Hindu Association Ramnikbhai Gohil.
Councillor Legg said: “Together with Mandy, we are proud to also witness this year’s celebrations which include a tribute to His Holiness Pramukh Swami
Maharaj, on the occasion of his centennial birth anniversary.”
Jagruti Bhatt, ran the children’s activity zone, adding: “Diwali and the Hindu New Year bring values of goodwill, charity and harmony across communities and these deep principles are embodied during these celebrations. I would also like to express my wishes of prosperity to all.”
Diwali is one of the most important celebrations in the Hindu calendar, it was held on 24 October this year.
But typically the celebrations can last for five or six days.
It symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance".
Deputy Mayoress Legg said: “Attending the festival of the Hindu New Year and being able to witness the children’s activities, exemplified a feeling that Diwali waves a magic wand over Milton Keynes and beyond – everything is so bright, colourful and beautiful.”
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2. Welcoming Milton Keynes Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress
Councillor Mick Legg and Mandy Legg Photo: BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
3. Council officials checking the display
The councillors posing in front of the display Photo: Milton Keynes Hindu Association
4. Deputy mayor welcomed by Swami
The deputy mayor participated in the tribute Photo: BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha