Diwali in Pakistan, through pictures


As a budding photojournalist and having many friends who belong to minority sects, I feel passionately about the state of affairs of the Pakistani minorities

I was, therefore, thrilled to be part of the annual Diwali celebrations for the first time

The warm, friendly and hospitable atmosphere at the temple made my stay extremely exciting and I thoroughly enjoyed covering this colourful celebration

 Here are a few highlights of my unique experience: 1) A girl performs the ‘pooja’ ritual before the Hindu deity Lord Krishna

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="572"] Photo: Huma Choudhary[/caption] 2) A woman decorates her hands with henna

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Huma Choudhary[/caption] 3) Men exchange greetings at the temple’s entrance

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Huma Choudhary[/caption] 4) A woman lights diyas (oil lamps) and places them in various corners of the temple

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Huma Choudhary[/caption] 5) A man smears tilak on devotees’ foreheads

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Huma Choudhary[/caption] 6) A teenage girl performs ‘arti’ before Lord Krishna

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Huma Choudhary[/caption] 7) A woman prays on Diwali

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="597"] Photo: Huma Choudhary[/caption] 8) The temple was decorated with fresh flowers and candles

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Huma Choudhary[/caption] 9) Hindu Pundit blows a conch shell for blessings during ‘pooja’

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Huma Choudhary[/caption] 10) A man offers prayers to Hindu God Krishna

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="557"] Photo: Huma Choudhary[/caption] The Hindu community, though a very small minority, constitute an integral part of the cultural and ethnic diversity of Pakistan

They are as much a part of Pakistan as the rest of us and understanding their occasions is something we should all strive to do

Wishing everyone around the globe a very happy Diwali and hoping that Pakistan keeps growing as a tolerant, peace-loving and inclusive nation



Date:25-Oct-2014 Reference:View Original Link