Deepawali festival shines brightest of all

Organisers of this year's Rotorua Deepawali Festival are overjoyed at what they say was the best event to date.

More than 650 people filled the Rotorua Convention Centre on Saturday night to sample the food and culture of Rotorua's growing Indian community.

Festival co-ordinator Dr Guna Magesan said he was amazed by the quality of the performances and the overall event, especially considering it was run, for the first time in the event's five-year history, without any outside funding.

This year was a double celebration to mark the Rotorua-based Hindu Council of New Zealand being granted special consultative status as a non-governmental organisation by the United Nations Economic and Social Council earlier this year. Deepawali - the Festival of Lights - also known as Diwali, is an important festival for the Hindu, Jain and Sikh faiths.

The word Deepawali means "row of lights" and celebrates the victory of light over darkness.

The theme for this year's festival was "Avibhaktam Vibhakteshu" - "Unity in Diversity".

"I think it was the best yet. The theme worked very well and made a great impact with our guests. I felt 'yes', we have done something very special for the community."

Dr Magesan said the wide range of performances, including traditional Chinese dances, belly dancing and Indian dance from all over the country, were well received. Before the show guests were treated to traditional Indian vegetarian dishes and afterwards with a fireworks display.

National dignitaries, including Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres and Office of Ethnic Affairs representative Sandra Mackenzie attended, as did Rotorua MP Todd McClay and Mayor Kevin Winters.

Guests of honour received a tilak - the ancient Hindu custom of placing a mark of ash or paste on a person's forehead - from Rotorua 6-year-old Robert Khatri, who had to stand on a chair to make his mark.

Dr Magesan said the tilak was a mark of respect for guests who were welcomed on to the stage "as one of us".

He said the festival was getting more popular each year with more than 200 people unfortunately missing out.

Plans were already in the pipeline for next year's event which will celebrate New Zealand's Indo-Maori people.

"It will be the best of both worlds in dance, food, singing and customs - a very unique celebration," Dr Magesan said.

He said the festival would remain free to attend as well as being meat-free, smoke-free and alcohol-free.