Diwali & New Year Festivities

Diwali & New Year Program Highlights:
Monday, 24 October
• Chopda Pujan - 6:30 pm onwards
• Diwali Arti - 7:00 pm
Wednesday, 26 October
• New Year's Arti - 7:00 pm
Sunday, 30 October
• Annakut Arti - 2:30 pm
• Annakut Darshan - 3:45 pm to 5:00 pm
• Annakut Sabha - 5:00 pm to 5:45 pm
• Grand Annakut Arti - 5:45 pm

Diwali is often referred to as the ‘Festival of Light’, and is traditionally marked by placing decorated oil lamps (each called a (‘deepa’) in rows (‘avali’) – hence the Sanskrit name, ‘Deepavali’.
This practice can be traced to the return of Bhagwan Rama to Ayodhya after vanquishing the evil King Ravana. The people of Ayodhya celebrated his return by lining the streets with oil lamps and decorating their front yards with colorful patterned designs (called a rangoli).
Diwali thus celebrates the triumph of good over evil and is a reminder to dispel inner darkness with the light of God’s presence.
Food is placed on the main stage as we celebrate Diwali and New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir on 24 October 2022 and 31 October 2022 in Christchurch, New Zealand. Diwali, which marks the start of the Hindu New Year, Hundreds of Hindu men, women and children will celebrate in the Christchurch mandir, which was the first traditional Hindu temple to open in Christchurch.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Christchurch cordially invites you along with your family and friends to celebrate Diwali & Annakut.
The festival of Lights - A cultural programme celebrating the triumph of light over darkness in all aspects of one's life.