Diwali - 4 UK - Asian Voice 2nd ......4 UK - Asian Voice 2nd November2013 KOLAK SNACK FOODS LTD...
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moved back to the city.” Ameet Aggarwal, Chairman, Diwali in London said: “Trafalgar square once again wel- comed the diversity of cosmopolitan London for the Diwali festival; with an over spilling crowd. The Square was beautiful- ly decorated with lamps and the famous fountains were specially lit for the occasion. The spirit of Diwali in the form of cele- bration and mutual respect was shared by all on the day. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a diverse yet united committee.” Boris Johnson appeared by video link and gave his blessings for Diwali. He said: “London would not be the exciting and dynamic city that it is without the many com- munities that contribute to its dynamism and prsperity, something that is reflected in festivals like our Diwali celebrations. It has a powerful message, about peace, mutual respect and the victory of light over evil, which is important for Londoners as well as to Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. I wish www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 2nd November2013 4 UK KOLAK SNACK FOODS LTD Manufacturers of Potato Crisps & Snacks CREATING QUALITY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS 308-310 Elveden Road, Park Royal, London NW10 7ST (UK). T: +44 20 8965 5331 F: +44 20 8961 9313 E: [email protected] W: www.kolak.co.uk Ranu Mehta-Radia The idea of resonating the message of Diwali to our youths and the Nation was conceived when 6 prominent Hindu leaders met at Shri Nitin Palan’s house in 2002. The discussions round the table revolved around instilling Hindu dhar- ma to our future generations as well as sharing the universal values of love, light and peace with the different communi- ties across the UK. Their strategy was to target a promi- nent public place where Diwali could be celebrated inviting Londoners to a Free Festival as well as raise the profile of the Hindu community and our fundamental values to all political parties. Stepping up to take a lead to cele- brate Diwali at a prominent London venue rested on the shoulders of Nitin Palan, an active member of the iconic Swami Narayan Neasden temple. Ramesh Kallidai of Hindu Forum committed to taking Diwali to the House of Commons which is also a national fixture now in the House of Commons calendar. The first Diwali on Trafalgar brought a few hundred people to the Square, those who were present on that historic day remember standing under umbrellas as the rains came down. Defiantly, the small team were determined to make a success the following year, and contact- ed other prominent Hindu, Sikh and Jain organisations to collectively work together. The Diwali in London Committee now consists of 12 organisations: BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Chinmaya Mission UK International Society for Krishna Consciousness UK The Art of Living National Hindu Students Forum Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (UK) Brahmin Society of North London Oshwal Association of the UK Vishwa Hindu Parishad (UK) Telugu Association of London Met Police Hindu Association Sai School of Harrow. The Chair is rotated annually to ensure that each Organisation gets the opportunity to host the Festival. Youth Wings of each organisations are men- tored to shadow the current Coordinators so the baton can be hand- ed over to our dynamic young people to manage the event in the future. Diwali in London Committee clearly demonstrates that all Hindus, Sikhs and Jains can work together to strengthen our communities. The annual festival now attracts up to 20,000 visitors. Origins of Diwali on the Square Asian Voice will not be pub- lishing the Saturday 9th November issue as we shall be on our Diwali break. In the meantime please enjoy our exclusive Diwali magazine that has a wide range of articles and helpful information on various interesting subjects. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers, supporters, advertisers and well wishers a very Happy Diwali and a Prosperous New Year ahead. Diwali greetings London’s Trafalgar Square once again became a scene of colour and festivity on Sunday, despite warnings of severe storms, as thou- sands flocked to the Square in the spirit of Diwali. The free Diwali Festival, organized by the Mayor of London in asso- ciation with the Diwali in London committee, was supported by headline sponsor Lebara and media partner Zee TV. People gathered to enjoy the festival, includ- ing acts performed by local Londoners showcas- ing their diverse talent, from a vibrant Bhajan band, to a diverse repre- sentation of traditional and cultural dances from your latest Bollywood charts to the traditions of local regions. Thousands of people had lined up outside at 1pm to enter the square and were given the oppor- tunity to participate in London’ largest outdoor Garba dance. Members of the public excitedly queued up for the chance to wear a traditional Indian sari as well whilst others indulged in the vast variety of delicious food stalls had to offer The official opening peace lamp ceremony was led by Diwali in London (DIL) Chairman - Ameet Aggarwal, from the Art of Living alongside fellow distinguished guests Ray Lewis, Greater London Authority Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, Dr Virander Paul, Acting Indian High Commissioner and Srutidharma das, Temple president of Bhaktivedenta Manor, Watford. Diwali in London were privileged to have world renowned artist Anoushka Shankar perform some transcendental and pow- erful compositions on stage this year. Ms Shankar said: “It feels really special to me to be connected to Diwali in London especially as I was born here and recently Thousands come together to celebrate Diwali at Trafalgar Square Anoushka Shankar entertaining the revellers Virander Paul, Acting High Commissioner, Ameet Agarwal, Chairman and others lighting the lamp DIL Committee Members Crowds enjoying the Diwali festivities everyone celebrating in London and beyond a happy and prosperous Diwali. We look forward to the next Diwali in Trafalgar Square! Four people were killed, 625,000 properties with- out electricity, hundreds of uprooted or ripped apart trees and chaos for com- muters as train companies halted nearly all services to and from London and more than 130 flights at Heathrow were cancelled, as 100mph winds battered southern England. The St Jude’s Day storm, named after the patron saint of lost causes, was the worst gale to hit the UK in more than a decade. The damage is expected to cost over sev- eral hundred million pounds to repair and clean up. Victims of the storm include a sporty 17-year- old grammar school girl, who was killed as she slept when a 30ft tree crushed the caravan where she had been living while building work was carried out on her family’s home. One of the worst scenes of devastation was at a home in Hounslow, where two people died when a tree blown over by the wind caused a suspect- ed gas explosion. The bod- ies of the man and woman, who have not been named, were found in the rubble of the property hours after the blast. Three other peo- ple were taken to hospital with cuts and burns. Havoc and disruption in wake of St Jude’s Day Storm
Transcript of Diwali - 4 UK - Asian Voice 2nd ......4 UK - Asian Voice 2nd November2013 KOLAK SNACK FOODS LTD...
moved back to the city.” Ameet Aggarwal,
Chairman, Diwali inLondon said: “Trafalgarsquare once again wel-comed the diversity ofcosmopolitan London forthe Diwali festival; withan over spilling crowd.The Square was beautiful-ly decorated with lampsand the famous fountainswere specially lit for theoccasion. The spirit ofDiwali in the form of cele-bration and mutualrespect was shared by allon the day. I am gratefulfor the opportunity to bepart of such a diverse yetunited committee.”
Boris Johnsonappeared by video linkand gave his blessings forDiwali. He said: “Londonwould not be the excitingand dynamic city that it iswithout the many com-munities that contributeto its dynamism andprsperity, something thatis reflected in festivals likeour Diwali celebrations. Ithas a powerful message,about peace, mutualrespect and the victory oflight over evil, which isimportant for Londonersas well as to Hindus,Sikhs and Jains. I wish
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 2nd November20134 UK
KOLAK SNACK FOODS LTDManufacturers of Potato Crisps & Snacks
CREATING QUALITY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS
308-310 Elveden Road, Park Royal, London NW10 7ST (UK).
T: +44 20 8965 5331 F: +44 20 8961 9313 E: [email protected]
W: www.kolak.co.uk
Ranu Mehta-Radia
The idea of resonating the message ofDiwali to our youths and the Nation wasconceived when 6 prominent Hinduleaders met at Shri Nitin Palan’s housein 2002. The discussions round the tablerevolved around instilling Hindu dhar-ma to our future generations as well assharing the universal values of love, lightand peace with the different communi-ties across the UK.
Their strategy was to target a promi-nent public place where Diwali could becelebrated inviting Londoners to a FreeFestival as well as raise the profile of theHindu community and our fundamentalvalues to all political parties.
Stepping up to take a lead to cele-brate Diwali at a prominent Londonvenue rested on the shoulders of NitinPalan, an active member of the iconicSwami Narayan Neasden temple.
Ramesh Kallidai of Hindu Forumcommitted to taking Diwali to theHouse of Commons which is also anational fixture now in the House ofCommons calendar.
The first Diwali on Trafalgar broughta few hundred people to the Square,those who were present on that historicday remember standing under umbrellasas the rains came down. Defiantly, thesmall team were determined to make a
success the following year, and contact-ed other prominent Hindu, Sikh andJain organisations to collectively worktogether.
The Diwali in London Committee nowconsists of 12 organisations:
BAPS Swaminarayan MandirChinmaya Mission UKInternational Society for KrishnaConsciousness UKThe Art of LivingNational Hindu Students ForumBrahma Kumaris World SpiritualUniversity (UK)Brahmin Society of North LondonOshwal Association of the UKVishwa Hindu Parishad (UK)Telugu Association of LondonMet Police Hindu AssociationSai School of Harrow.
The Chair is rotated annually toensure that each Organisation gets theopportunity to host the Festival. YouthWings of each organisations are men-tored to shadow the currentCoordinators so the baton can be hand-ed over to our dynamic young people tomanage the event in the future.
Diwali in London Committee clearlydemonstrates that all Hindus, Sikhs andJains can work together to strengthenour communities. The annual festivalnow attracts up to 20,000 visitors.
Origins of Diwali on the Square
Asian Voice will not be pub-lishing the Saturday 9thNovember issue as we shallbe on our Diwali break.
In the meantime pleaseenjoy our exclusive Diwalimagazine that has a widerange of articles and helpfulinformation on various interesting subjects.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish allour readers, supporters, advertisers and well wishers avery Happy Diwali and a Prosperous New Year ahead.
Diwali greetings
London’s Trafalgar Squareonce again became a sceneof colour and festivity onSunday, despite warningsof severe storms, as thou-sands flocked to theSquare in the spirit ofDiwali. The free DiwaliFestival, organized by theMayor of London in asso-ciation with the Diwali inLondon committee, wassupported by headlinesponsor Lebara and mediapartner Zee TV.
People gathered toenjoy the festival, includ-ing acts performed bylocal Londoners showcas-ing their diverse talent,from a vibrant Bhajanband, to a diverse repre-sentation of traditionaland cultural dances fromyour latest Bollywoodcharts to the traditions oflocal regions.
Thousands of peoplehad lined up outside at1pm to enter the squareand were given the oppor-tunity to participate inLondon’ largest outdoorGarba dance. Members ofthe public excitedly
queued up for the chanceto wear a traditionalIndian sari as well whilstothers indulged in the vastvariety of delicious foodstalls had to offer
The official openingpeace lamp ceremony wasled by Diwali in London(DIL) Chairman - AmeetAggarwal, from the Art ofLiving alongside fellowdistinguished guests RayLewis, Greater LondonAuthority Senior Advisorto the Mayor and DeputyMayor, Dr Virander Paul,Acting Indian HighCommissioner andSrutidharma das, Templepresident ofBhaktivedenta Manor,Watford.
Diwali in London wereprivileged to have worldrenowned artist AnoushkaShankar perform sometranscendental and pow-erful compositions onstage this year. MsShankar said: “It feelsreally special to me to beconnected to Diwali inLondon especially as I wasborn here and recently
Thousands come together to celebrate Diwali at Trafalgar Square
Anoushka Shankar entertaining the revellers Virander Paul, Acting High Commissioner, Ameet Agarwal,Chairman and others lighting the lamp
DIL Committee Members
Crowds enjoying the Diwali festivities
everyone celebrating inLondon and beyond a
happy and prosperousDiwali. We look forward
to the next Diwali inTrafalgar Square!
Four people were killed,625,000 properties with-out electricity, hundreds ofuprooted or ripped aparttrees and chaos for com-muters as train companieshalted nearly all servicesto and from London andmore than 130 flights atHeathrow were cancelled,as 100mph winds batteredsouthern England.
The St Jude’s Daystorm, named after thepatron saint of lost causes,was the worst gale to hitthe UK in more than a
decade. The damage isexpected to cost over sev-eral hundred millionpounds to repair and cleanup. Victims of the storminclude a sporty 17-year-old grammar school girl,who was killed as she sleptwhen a 30ft tree crushedthe caravan where she hadbeen living while buildingwork was carried out onher family’s home.
One of the worstscenes of devastation wasat a home in Hounslow,where two people died
when a tree blown over bythe wind caused a suspect-ed gas explosion. The bod-ies of the man and woman,who have not been named,
were found in the rubbleof the property hours afterthe blast. Three other peo-ple were taken to hospitalwith cuts and burns.
Havoc and disruption in wake of St Jude’s Day Storm
