Despite it falling on a working day, many devotees still made their way to the Sri Selva Vinayakar Koyil (Ganesha Temple) to celebrate an auspicious and meaningful day.
Diwali (or Deepavali) is a festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains all around the world to celebrate the spiritual victory of light over darkness.
This year, Diwali fell on October 24 and Hindus in the Logan community gathered at the temple to not only pray, but exchange sweets and pleasantries for this annual celebration.
From an Abishekam (a religious rite) and getting blessings from Lord Ganesha, an Annathanam (offering of food) to a special Poojai (prayer) in the evening, the temple had a full day of activities.
Shri S. Santhan Gurukkal, senior priest of the temple, said he was delighted to see Hindus of different ethnic backgrounds coming together in harmony to celebrate as one.
“The temple had very good harmonious vibes,” he said.
“There were people from Nepal, Kerala and Sri Lanka who came together and celebrated it as a big festival. They didn’t care about their differences.
“They exchanged sweets to symbolise friendship and as a token for well wishes.
“It felt like ancient times, where temples were treated like a social hub. Everybody, from the elderly to the little kids, come together to celebrate and be a part of the temple,” he said.
According to the senior priest, the words Deepa translates to lights while Aavali means a row. Deepavali is a festival of light and historically symbolizes victory of good over evil.
On a personal level, many Hindus use this time to rejoice and feast on delicious meals with their loved ones. Bad thoughts are cast aside and old arguments are settled.
For long-time volunteer Ghayathri Surendra, her Diwali was spent whipping up sweet delicacies in the temple’s kitchen for everyone to enjoy.
“Because my celebrations are here, we don’t have the time to visit people or make any sweets. I come here and serve people, seeing the happiness in their faces is rewarding for us,” she said.
Her volunteering extends beyond Diwali celebrations. The 64-year-old travels to North Maclean from her home in Sinnamon Park and has her hands full – from looking after the temple to kitchen work.
Both Ghayathri and Shri S. Santhan Gurukkal appreciate the efforts of the younger generation getting involved with the temple and continues to impart knowledge to them.
“I think the older generations want to instill our values to the younger generation, so they bring their children here to participate in programs and be involved,” Shri Gurukkal said.
“A lot of youngsters who come to the temple are quite inquisitive, so I tell them stories and explain to them so they have more in depth knowledge.
“I encourage people to continue telling stories about the importance of Diwali and why it’s celebrated so that the culture is not lost.”
