Luxembourg witnessed a vibrant Diwali recently where attendees from Luxembourg, different parts of Europe, and the UK have congregated to celebrate the festival.
The celebrations began with an offering to five macro elements (fire, water, wind, earth, and ether), prayers, and the blowing of the conch by Krishna Kripa Dasa. Dr. Lakshmi Vyas, President of Hindu Forum Europe outlined the history and activities of HFE since its inception in 2006.
Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India to Belgium and Luxembourg Debasish Prusty extended Diwali greetings to all and highlighted that the festival is a time to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.
The inaugural had classical dance presentations- Kathak by Arsha and Bharatanatyam by Ragasudha Vinjamuri, followed by a classical Tamil song by Mrs. Uma Rangarajan. The cultural program also included Bharatanatyam by Vedhikha, songs by young Om Sankar and Diya Ganesh, and semi-classical Bollywood dances by Nishi Joshi-Bhatt and a local young troupe.
Help and support from various people were acknowledged on the occasion, and a vote of thanks was rendered. The evening concluded with an Indian meal provided by the restaurant Kripa.
The event was co-organised by Hindu Forum Luxembourg spearheaded by Ambi Venkataraman and team, who also highlighted the activities of HFL and the plan to build a Shiva Vishnu Hindu Temple in Luxembourg. There were also other presentations of communal interest made on the occasion.
