Hope, peace and a new beginning
Indian association celebrates triumph of good over evil during festival of Diwali
Diwali gives a message of hope, peace and a new beginning. It symbolises the victory of good over evil. Spiritually it is a victory of positivity over negative thoughts and environment.
Personally I like the fact that we have special time to rejoice in our cultural bonding and celebrate our festival with many others in wider community.
Migration brings new meaning to this festival as we open our inner self to celebrate together with joy and music with our new friends and family , workmates and businesses.
Diwali signifies the beginning of the Hindu New Year as per the Lunar Calendar. Each of the 26 States in India has its own version of celebration, India being the origin of Hinduism and the majority of the population celebrating the cultural and spiritual Diwali.
The country has public holidays and school holidays as a mini vacation when families take time to get their house cleaned. The families connect to their villages, to their ancestors and often special offerings are made to goddesses to rejoice the successful year passed by and pray for the coming new year.
Flowers, sweets, food, colourful decoration and clothing and gift parcels are exchanged with families.
Families are often tempted to purchase gold or silver tokens as a sign of good luck to Laxmi, the goddess of wealth. Rangoli patterns and garlands are displayed in the front entrance of home with light diya to welcome the positivity, welcome the goddess and guests.
Families will invite friends and extended families to the house for Diwali pooja and have a shared meal. Children often have fun lighting firecrackers together and sharing the best home-made sweets. The whole atmosphere in the streets changes and everyone makes new memories.
Diwali is the time to enjoy, make memories and give donations for the social and communal good.
Te Puke’s Diwali celebration represented generosity of various small Indian grocery shops in providing sweets, cookies and snacks as their sharing kindness to all attendees.
The Sikh Gurudawra generously provided meals for the event, volunteers and performers.
There was a connection with the introduction of new mayor James Denyer , who gave a short speech.
A connection was also made with Te Puke Community Board members
Flowers, sweets, food, colourful decoration and clothing and gift parcels are exchanged with families.
who supported this event by participation and organising with us.
In particular Kassie Ellis, who has given ongoing support to the Bay of Plenty Migrant Women’s Group and Tauranga and Western Bay Indian Association committee members in Te Puke. The opportunity to meet new community board member
Anish Paudel and Multicultural Tauranga president Premila D’mello was another symbolic achievement.
I feel very humbled by the generosity of supporters and my hardworking and engaging committee members who constantly provide volunteer support.
The celebration also involved Te
Puke High, Te Puke Primary and Fairhaven schools.
This Diwali has brought new opportunities to network and strengthen our connection with various other community Indian groups. Serving the community is one of the services to humanity and we look forward to engaging more in 2023.