The Hindus have offered to contribute to save the Diwali and Christmas festive lights in Wellingborough town in England, according to reports.
Wellingborough Borough Council, whose tagline is “making Wellingborough a place to be proud of”, in view of recession resulting in hard economic times, was reportedly finding it tough to keep the annual display, which helped bring people to the town fueling the local economy.
The Wellingborough Hindu Association (WDHA Community Trust), which focuses on “community development”, has reportedly offered to contribute towards the cost of this year’s festive lights, which will be switched on for a week for Diwali on October 22 and for Christmas in early December.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) on Wednesday, applauding the community efforts to keep the lights on for festivals, said that this gesture affirmed the Hindu spirit of giving back to the community. Quoting scriptures, Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that charity was a duty, which should be undertaken with sympathy and modesty.
Largest of Hindu festivals (and also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains), Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.