The first Diwali and Hindu New Year celebrations were a spectacularly success at Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury with over ten thousand worshippers and visitors attending on Friday 24 October – start of the Hindu year 2071.
Dozens of Councillors and MPs also visited, including Justice Minister Sailesh Vara, Bob Blackman MP, London Assembly Members Andrew Dismore and Navin Shah, the Mayors of Brent and Harrow (Cllr Kana Naheerathan and Cllr Ajay Maru) and Leader of Brent Council, Muhammed Butt.
Much as we have done over the past 30 years at our previous home in Golders Green, we held a special event for our friends and neighbours so they too could join in with our Diwali festivities, but this year was a massive upscale in size!
Some ten thousand people visited the Mandir, and many were treated to a wonderful evening show including a unique fusion of Scottish bagpipes and Indian dhol drums. The highlight of the entire festival and the centre piece to the celebrations was the ‘Annakut’ or ‘mountain of food’.
