The Lalit Hotel in London looked straight out of a Bollywood scene. Meticulously decorated in orange and pink, the hosts welcomed all the guests with a smile and a polite 'namaste'. As we walked into the lobby, passed by the beautiful water candles into the main hall, the sound of sitar and tabla filled our ears. Outside in the terrace a white and grand Ganesha stood protecting all. Inside the hall, people sipped onto their 'malasa nimbu paani' (lemonade) or peach ice tea or 'masala chai', as canapes and Laddoos (sweets) made their rounds. From politicians to ambassadors to celebrities such as Shekhar Kapur and Gurinder Chaddha, and the who's who of the community filled the room, to celebrate London's first Muslim Mayor's first ever Diwali celebrations at such a grand scale.
The formal part of the evening started with a puja of the Lord Ganesha, as everybody gathered in the terrace to witness a history in the making. It stood as an example of what the true London spirit and diversity stand for. Sadiq Khan, has been a victim of lot of ridicule, some associated with the religion he represents, but he stood among majority Hindus, and took part in the beautiful ceremony, inaugurated by Shrutidharma das from the Hare Krishna Temple. Arjun Pandya conducted the Ganesha aarti and the formal puja, while people joined in to chant Sanskrit mantras.
After the puja, the Deputy Mayor of Business, Rajesh Agrawal took the podium and welcomed the guests. Rajesh, a popular face among the diaspora and a self-made man, defined the spirit of Diwali and ushered in the goodness and light to fight evil and darkness. After a brief speech by Dr Jyotsna Suri of the Lalit Hotel, Gurinder Chadha took the podium next, to give a brief yet befitting introduction to Sadiq Khan, who welcomed the guests in his own charming ways.
He also enthusiastically discussed about his upcoming India and pakistan trip later this year. Speaking about Diwali, the Mayor said “As the Mayor of London, I want to send my warmest wishes to everyone celebrating Diwali in London and around the world.
“During this wonderful festival of lights, we come together to share the story of Rama and Sita, to light candles in our homes, and to pay tribute to the warmth and generosity of our Hindu, Sikh and Jain brothers and sisters. Friends and families reflect on the past year together, and mark the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and friendship over enmity.
“Diwali’s central message of peace and mutual respect is one that we can all learn from. It reminds us that London succeeds when London is open to all.
“From my family to yours, Happy Diwali and a prosperous new year.”
