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 |
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