Across India and the wider world, Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair. It's also observed by Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists, each attaching their own meaning to the festival
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2025/10/17/devotees-prepare-to-celebrate-diwali
Subscribe on our Dailymotion channel and receive all the latest news from the continent.
Africanews is available in English and French. Website : www.africanews.com Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/africanews.channel/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/africanews
00:00West London's Babs Shiri Swaminarayan Mandir is one of the largest Hindu temples outside India and a center of worship for tens of thousands of people each year.
00:14With only days to go until Diwali, which this year falls on October 20th, the temple is alive with prayer and preparation.
00:23In this time of the year, which is the most important celebration in the Hindu calendar, it's important to appreciate what God has given to us, whether it be family, friends, healthy body, healthy life.
00:40And so it's all encompassed during the festival of Diwali, which lasts for five days. And to make sure that as well as enjoying the food, we are thankful for everything that we've been given.
00:54A small army of volunteers work late into the night, preparing for the crowds expected over the coming days.
01:00Here they are assembling 70,000 boxes of food that will be served to worshippers. The boxes contain various sweets made from scratch.
01:09The items we have got today here are three sweet dishes and one savory. So we got all the ingredients which will go on the box at the last so people can read what they're expecting as a prasadam.
01:21And thus we're just packing all these and thousands and then we pack them and it will be handed out on Ankur Day and Diwali Day.
01:32This year, volunteers are creating elaborate vases decorated with colored lotus seeds and cereal, as well as models representing the bridges of Paris, a nod to a sister temple opening there in 2026.
01:45Diwali is a time of togetherness and joy and of course light, as that's the main meaning of Diwali. And in the temple we celebrate it with joy and like love, which I really appreciate and love.
02:00As preparations continue in London, similar scenes are unfolding in temples and homes around the world. Fireworks, sweets and lamps mark the victory of light and the arrival of a new year.
Be the first to comment