Streets come alive with colour, lights
Mogan Segadavan
THE streets of Malabar came alive with a colourful procession recently as the Hindu community united to celebrate Deepavali (or Diwali) – the Hindu Festival of Lights.
The highlight of the celebrations was a live broadcast of the religious programme Bhakti Sangeet by national broadcaster Lotus FM.
While the actual festival was celebrated by Hindus all over the world on November 2, the PE Deepavali coordinating committee organised the joint celebration a week earlier as it has been doing for the past six years.
The committee was established in 2008 by members of the various Hindu organisations and some of the sports clubs in the city.
The primary objective of the committee is to mobilise all the Hindu organisations to make a meaningful contribution, not only to the youth in Malabar, but to the greater community in the metro while celebrating the festival.
"Deepavali or Diwali literally means a row of lights. Symbolically its aim is to light up our lives – to make us more compassionate, and show love and respect to only to others but to ourselves," convener of the coordinating committee, Tina Balakisten said.
"Deepavali is a time to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil. It is also a time to open our hearts to those less fortunate than ourselves."
Since its inception the committee has assisted primary and high schools in Malabar, the Centre of Abused Women and Children, Sasko Wheelchair Project and the Iskon Food for Life programme.
After the float procession, which started and ended at the Malabar Community Centre, where stalls were operated by member organisations, a cultural concert of song, dance and music took place in the hall.