POST REPORTER
THE South African Hindu Maha Sabha flagship event, the Durban Diwali Festival, will be held from October 25 to 27 at the Suncoast parking site.
Ashwin Trikamjee, the president of the Sabha, said the theme was “Love and Light”.
“We have decided to go with this theme as it is universal. Love brings about family and community camaraderie, while light is synonymous with Diwali.”
Trikamee said visitors were in for a surprise.
“This year’s event features a fresh layout designed to enhance your experience. It’s a new approach and everything is user-friendly.
“We will have a large marquee where all our vendors, including the food stalls, will be inside. We have upgraded on what we have to offer. By doing this, we have ensured that the public will be safeguarded against inclement weather. There will also be additional parking, and a variety of food available. There will not be two or three people offering the same things, which means you have more food options,” Trikamjee added.
There will be lots of activities, including an on-site temple, Raam Bhajan Festival, and an indenture exhibition. You can also shop for unique items and enjoy the entertainment on offer.
The indenture display, by the 1860 Heritage Centre, tells the story of indenture from arrival through to the colonial and apartheid struggles. The exhibition also focuses on cultural traditions, temples and religious observances. There will be workshops to assist descendants of indentured labourers to search for their roots that are recorded in the 384 ship lists archived at the Archives Repository in Pietermaritzburg.
On Saturday, the Shree Sanathan Dharma Sabha of South Africa will present the 7th Annual Sundar Kaand Recital at 2.30pm, and Kaarthik mass lamps and Raksha Sutras (red strings) will be available for each attendee. There will also be a South Indian and Bollywood music extravaganza, and the highlight will be a fireworks display at 8.30pm.
On Sunday morning, festival-goers can participate in a spiritually-uplifting mass hawan at 10am, and at 2pm be part of the Raam Bhajan Festival by the South African Raam Bhajan Association.
The entrance to the Durban Diwali Festival is free.
Overflow parking will be available at R20 at the Mustering Fields (opposite the pool), and security will be provided by Pro-Secure.