Diwali Celebrations
Saturday 17 November
2001, San Jose, CA
A huge Rangoli made from colored sandstone and displaying the
sacred word OM surrounded by lighted lanterns greeted visitors
at the BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Temple on Nov 17th for its Hindu
New Year and Diwali celebrations.After midday arti, the youth
wing sang the "thaal" , listing and glorifying the food items
on the Annakut, praying to the Lord to accept them. Prasad was
offered throughout the day as people streamed in for the arti
every hour and darshan of the annakut.During the evening festivities,
there were delightful devotional songs, and saint Uttamcharand
Swami explained the significance of Diwali. "It celebrates the
return of Lord Rama to the city of Ayodhya, after he vanquished
the demon king, Ravana.", he said, " and for us this symbolizes
our own struggle for righteousness and defeat our own demons",
he concluded
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