Thousands celebrate Diwali and Hindu New Year at temple

Thousands of people gathered at a Hindu temple in Birmingham to celebrate Diwali and the Hindu New Year.

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, on Pitmaston Road, treated visitors to the annakut, which translates to "a mountain of food", on Wednesday evening.

The temple said that the offering, consisting of hundreds of freshly prepared vegetarian dishes, was a devotional gesture of gratitude and a prayer to God to bless the coming year.

Visitors also enjoyed an outdoor market opposite the temple, offering vegetarian sweets, savoury snacks as well as Diwali-themed souvenirs.

Volunteers at the temple said the celebrations were a reminder of the joy of community spirit.

Janki Chohan said: "Diwali and the Hindu New Year reaffirm and strengthen values of goodwill, charity, and harmony for families across communities in the UK.

"These principles will be at the heart of our celebrations."

Celebrations took place from 12:00 until 20:00 BST.

Bipin Shingadia added: "In a time when communities across the UK face many challenges, these celebrations are a timely reminder of the joy and community spirit that festivals bring."

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