Two South Auckland based community welfare organisations organised the Diwali Festival at the Papatoetoe Town Hall on November 2, bringing together people from varied ethnicity.
The Papatoetoe Shiv Shakti Mothers Club and the Papatoetoe Senior citizens Association marked the event with the support of the Hindu Heritage Research Foundation (NZ).
Foundation Chief Executive Mohanan Morganan said that the Festival enlivened the Hindu spirit of ‘Vasudhavia Kudumbam,’ encompassing the entire world, with all its people and their religious beliefs and non-beliefs into a homogenous unit.
“We believe that the whole world is a Family. Subscribing to such a concept, the Diwali Festival was colourful, multiracial and multicultural. The programme included music and dances from Pacific Island countries, Asia and Bollywood, followed by a magic show. It was an event to remember,” he said.
“Diwali is not for Hindus only but for all human beings as it takes darkness away and brings light to the inner-self. Our message of love, equality, prosperity and peace is for all,” he said.
Labour MPs Ross Robertson was the Chief Guest at the Festival, with other MPs Dr Rajen Prasad (Labour), Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi (National) and Councillor Ian McGechie as Guests of Honour.
ASB Community Trust funded the Festival.
Mr Morganan said that the Foundation comprised a number of organisations under its umbrella. These include the Papatoetoe Community Budgeting Service, Papatoetoe Senior Citizens Association, Swar Jhankaar Sangeet Vidhyalay, Shiv Shakti Mothers Club, Shiv Omkaar Ramayan Sansthaa, Papatoetoe Fiji Indian Youth Group and Papatoetoe ESOL Facilitators.
