Hindu community rejoices as Diwali celebrations begin
Various Hindu communities of Karachi on Monday gathered at the Shri Swaminarayan Temple — the only Swaminarayan temple in Pakistan — to start the Diwali celebration with traditional enthusiasm.
Some Sikhs and Muslims were also at the temple to share the joys of the festival with their fellow Hindu citizens. Diwali, which is the festival of lights, usually lasts five days.
However, family get-togethers to exchange greetings would not take place today [Tuesday] due to the partial solar eclipse. On the first day celebration, the families who reside in residential quarters located inside the boundary wall of the temple had decorated their houses with different colours and lightings.
Children could be seen exploding crackers as grown-ups bought sweets from various stalls and shops set up on the temple premises.
Elders of the Hindu community took part in activities such as lighting diya and home decoration. Throughout the day, groups of worshippers continued arriving inside the temple to offer Puja to Goddess Lakshmi.
The celebrations of the five-day festival that symbolises the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil were also overseen in various Hindu neighbourhoods of Karachi, including Soldier Bazaar, Naz Plaza, Lea Market and other Old City areas.
On Sunday night, a large number of Hindu community members visited the Shamshan Ghat (Crematorium) Temple located on Manghopir Road in the Old Golimar area.
Vijay Maharaj, the custodian of the Shri Swaminarayan Temple, told The News that Diwali was one the most important festival of the Hindu community that symbolised new beginnings and hope in a situation of helplessness. Maharaj said that the festival was celebrated to commemorate the struggle of Hindu god Lord Rama who spent 14 years in exile before defeating the evil King Ravana of Lanka, and returned with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman to his homeland in Ayodhya.
Talking about the festival, Sindh MPA Mangla Sharma told The News that traditionally the Hindu community distributed white sweets along with four white coloured grains to celebrate the first day of Diwali while performing Lakshmi Puja. “In the past, Hindu families used to prepare sweets at homes especially the Motichoor Laddoo. But with the passage of time, people now prefer to buy sweets from shops,” she explained.
She said, “Every year before Diwali, rich Hindu families distribute clothes, food, sweets and whatever they could in order to share joys with the underprivileged families. This is what Diwali tells us.”
A number of political leaders extended greetings on the occasion of the festival of lights to the Hindu community. Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Atta Marri in her message wished the Hindu citizens of Pakistan on the occasion. She called for making Pakistan a peaceful and stable country by respecting every religion.
Pakistan Muslim League Functional Sindh General Secretary Sardar Abdul Rahim congratulated the Hindu community and said the Hindu community living in Pakistan added beauty to the country and it was the government’s responsibility to protect them.
The Hindu community had a major role in the economy of Pakistan, he said, adding that the spiritual leaders of the Hur community had protected the Hindus living in Sindh for centuries. Meanwhile, International Lawyers Forum (ILF) Chairman Nasir Ahmed Advocate along with hundreds of representatives of minorities and civil society visited the Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir situated near the Native Jetty Bridge to celebrate Diwali.
The programme started with the national anthem, after which a band of the Sindh police under the supervision of Hawaldar Ramzan presented national songs and a special Diwali song.
Bishop of Pakistan Sadiq Danial, Secretary of the Swaminarayan Mandir Trust Anand Ram Hotwani, Sikh leader Sardar Dayal Singh, Sister Nargis Sadiq and others were present on the occasion.
