On Wednesday 25 October, the Diwali pageant was celebrated on the European Union Parliament in Brussels (Belgium). The pageant will happen this 12 months on 12 November, however as a consequence of Parliament’s personal agenda and to permit the most important variety of representatives of Hinduism in Europe to attend, it was held two weeks upfront, as reported by La Verdad de Ceuta.
The occasion was organised by the Hindu Discussion board of Europe (HFE) in collaboration with the Palan Basis and the Phi Basis. Diwali, often known as the pageant of lights, has been celebrated within the European Parliament since 2015.
The Hindu Federation of Spain (FHE) was represented by its president Juan Carlos Ramchandani (Pandit Krishna Kripa Dasa) who can be vice-president of the HFE, in addition to by Swami Rameshwaranda Giri Maharaj, advisor to the FHE in relations with the administrations and religious advisor to the Hindu Discussion board of Europe.
Representatives of the monastic order (sannyasa) equivalent to Swami Amarananda from Switzerland and Swamini Dayananda ji from Campus Phi in Spain additionally attended. Representatives from the Hindu federations of Italy, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the UK additionally attended.
The occasion was additionally attended by a number of non secular representatives equivalent to Ivan Arjona director of the Church of Scientology in Europe, Binder Singh consultant of the Sikh Group in Europe and Dr. Kishan Manocha who’s Head of the Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Division of the Workplace of Democratic Establishments and Human Rights of the OSCE (Organisation for Safety and Cooperation in Europe).
Institutional illustration was supplied by Morten LØKKEGAARD, MEP (Member of the European Parliament) and Chair of the EU Delegation to India, who hosted the occasion and gave a speech to welcome the attendees. Additionally in attendance was French MEP from Guadaloupe Maxette PIRBAKAS, of Indian origin and delegate for institutional relations with India, who gave an emotional speech and known as for the safety and celebration of traditions.
Diplomatic illustration from the 2 international locations with the most important variety of Hindus on the planet was additionally current, with India’s Ambassador to the European Union His Excellency Mr Santosh Jha and Nepal’s Ambassador to Benelux His Excellency Mr Gahendra Rajbandhari. Each gave a congratulatory message to all of the attendees on behalf of their respective governments.
The programme began with a welcome message from Dr. Lakshmi Vyas, President of HFE. Pandit Ramchandani then chanted prayers in Sanskrit invoking the grace of the masters and the attainment of peace. This was adopted by lighting of diyas or candles symbolising the pageant of Diwali.
The occasion included a cultural part with conventional Indian dances equivalent to Bharata Natyam and Kathak, carried out by younger individuals from the Belgian Hindu neighborhood.
The fruits of the occasion was a vegetarian dinner consisting of typical Indian dishes. The occasion was attended by eighty individuals from completely different components of Europe, the most important group being Swami Rameshwarananda’s disciples from the Faculty of Yoga, Vedanta and Meditation. All of them obtained a duplicate of the annual journal Diwali Occasion On the EU Parliament revealed by the Hindu Discussion board of Europe, which lists the actions carried out by the organisation and its members throughout the 12 months.
Ramchandani commented: “Very comfortable to have the ability to attend and take part on this occasion that visualises Hinduism in Europe, I’ve been attending because it was first held in 2015. Brussels is the guts of Europe, and it’s right here that we symbolize the oldest type of spirituality of humanity that’s nonetheless alive. A possibility to reconnect with Sanatana dharma brothers and sisters and buddies from different non secular traditions with a standard purpose: to enhance individuals’s religious consciousness with the intention to obtain a greater world”.