Fireworks crown Diwali celebrations

Minister Pool officially launching the silver Diwali coin

A spectacular fireworks display lit up the sky at Roche Caiman on Sunday evening October 26, the crowning event of the Diwali Utsav or the Festival of Lights celebrations.

The Diwali Utsav, which is one of the most auspicious occasions celebrated by Hindu devotees in India, also marked the beginning of a new year on their calendar.

Sunday's event, which attracted a large number of Hindus living and working in Seychelles, took place at the Roche Caiman swimming pool, in the presence of several government ministers, the Indian High Commissioner, Mr Malay Mishra, among otehr guests. It was organised by the Hindu Council of Seychelles.

The highlights of the evening's celebration, which started with the lighting of the lamp, were an invocation dance, distribution of prizes to children who had won the Diwali quiz contest, a colourful costume drama which told the story of Diwali, a sparklers show for children. The evening ended with the distribution of sweets.

During the event the Hindu Council of Seychelles took the opportunity to release a silver Diwali coin to mark the occasion and this was done by the Minister for Local Government, Sports and Culture Mrs Sylvette Pool, who also addressed the crowd.

In her speech Minister Pool announced that, in view of the importance of the celebration for Hindus in Seychelles, the government has decided that the Diwali day should be observed as a restricted holiday.

Minister Pool said that the programmes implemented by the Council had contributed to creating greater understanding among people in the community about the importance of the Diwali Festival, with many more people beginning to appreciate the richness of Hinduism.

Sending warm greetings to the Hindus in Seychelles, High Commissioner Mishra said Diwali was more than just a story about the good Prince Rama's victory over the evil Ravana and the symbolic lighting up of lamps to greet his return to his kingdom.  Speaking in Creole, H.E. Mishra said light symbolises the fight against darkness, represented by all the evil qualities within us and the knowledge and wisdom that we all possess.     

The Hindu Council of Seychelles has this year organised a series of activities to mark the Diwali Utsav, including a tree planting at the crematorium at Providence, visits and distributions of sweets to orphanages and old people homes and a Diwali mela, a bazaar selling sweets and traditional Indian food as well as crafts and textiles.

The Council is also carrying out a census on the Hindu population in Seychelles.

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