The HFB Virtual Diwali Magazine 2020

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DIWALI PRAYERS:
आपदाम-् अपहतार्रम् दातारं सवर् सपं दां
लोकािभरामं श्रीरामम् भूयो भयू ो नमाम्यहम् ॥
Prostrations again and again to Lord Rama who is the beloved
of the entire universe. He dispels dangers and obstacles and
endows good fortune on all His devotees.

आतान्र ामाित्र हन्तारम् भीतानां भीितनाशनं
िद्वषतां कालदण्डं तं रामचन्द्रं नमाम्यहम् ॥
I prostrate before Sri Ramachandra, the Supreme Lord,
who is the benign healer of the distressed;
the remover of all fears and dispeller of justice.

INVOCATION:
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योितग्रमय ।
मतृ ्योमा्र अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शािन्तः शािन्तः शािन्तः ॥
O Supreme Lord, lead me from untruth to truth,
lead me from darkness to light,
Lead me from death to immortality.
Let there be peace, peace and peace.

HFB MANTRA:
सं गछध्वं सं वदध्वं सं वो मनांिस जानताम्

देवा भागं यथा पवू े्र सजं ानाना उपासते

समानो मन्त्रः सिमितः समानी समानं मनः सह िचत्तमषे ाम्

समानं मन्त्रमिभ मण्त्रये वः समानने वोहिवषा जहु ोिम

समानी व आकू ितः समाना ह्रदयािन वः
समानमस्तु वोमनो यथा वः ससु हासित ॥
Let us walk together; let us sing together
In togetherness can we understand each other’s minds.
Thus, did the ancient seers share together to reach their divine ends.
May our intentions come together.
May our hearts become inseparable.
May our minds become as one to truly; know one another.

May we all unite in togetherness.



President of ‘Hindu Forum of Britain’
& Trustee of ‘Hindu Forum of Britain Charity’

Namaste
On behalf of the Hindu Forum of Britain I wish all my brothers and sisters a ‘Diwali ki Hardick
Shubhkamnaye’ and ‘Nutun Varsh Na Abhinandan’ (Vikram Savant 2077).

Diwali is time to celebrate, rejoice and rejuvenate. Diwali is a time to remember that good always
triumphs over evil. It’s a time when the entire Hindu diaspora across the globe resonates with the
cosmos with a display of colour, sound and dazzling displays to celebrate Diwali and to welcome
the New Year.

The Hindu Forum of Britain has celebrated Diwali at the House of Commons for the past 18 years.
This year we will be celebrating it on 11th November between 16.00 and 18.00 hrs. HFB Diwali at
the House of Commons has now become the premier multi-party Diwali event of the year.

COVID 19 hit the nation with a pandemic of unknown proportions. The HFB team has been very
busy liaising with the Ministry of Community and Local Government on various issues ranging
from guidance on policy issues for ‘Places of Worship’ , celebrating festivals safely, Health and
Safety at Mandirs, health and well-being of devotees, consultations on Coroners’ services, organ
donation, Track and Trace and many more.

The HFB and member organizations rose to the challenge of SEWA in serving the community,
preparing food parcels, PPE kits for the NHS workers, assisted shopping, delivering medicines and
checking on vulnerable sections everywhere.

The HFB team also participated with Mayor of London, Manchester and Birmingham to work out
local policies and produce local guidance. All thanks to modern technology and video
conferencing.

The team HFB got together with Hindu Umbrella bodies, HSS, HCUK , VHP , BAPS and NCHT to
create the HEART group - Hindu Emergency Action Response Team to tackle CV 19 . We nomi-
nate SEWA UK as our chosen charity to work at Grass- route and regional level Interfaith work at
various levels was a key success in interacting with our diverse community and their needs. This
week being ‘Interfaith Week’, our member organizations from Aberdeen to
London are celebrating within their localities.

The eternal Hindu dharma is founded on the core principle of ‘Vasudhvaya Kutubkam’, meaning,
‘One World, One Family’. The values underpinning this core principle can be summed up with
Satya, Dharma, Shanti, Prem and Ahimsa representing Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and
Non-violence.

I wish you and your family a very happy , healthy , safe and prosperous Diwali.

Truptiben

Mrs Trupti Patel FCIHT, MSc. H & T, BEng (Hons) CEng. Visharad Bharat Natyam, Yoga Teacher



1O DOWNING STREET

LONDON SW1A 2AA

THE PRIME MINISTER

Namaste, and happy Diwali everybody. All over the world, millions of lamps
are once again being lit, as the spectacular, joyful festival of Diwali is here to
burst through the autumnal darkness.

Of course, I know that this year, as with so many other events, Diwali is not
going to be the same. People across this country are making huge sacrifices.
Your lives have been put on hold; your work and businesses disrupted. While I
know it’s disappointing that many Diwali celebrations cannot go ahead in the
usual way, this year, perhaps more than any other, Diwali holds a potent
meaning for all of us. Because just as Diwali celebrates the victory of light over
darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, so too I have every
confidence that we shall triumph over Covid-19.

As we all pull together and play our part in defeating this virus, I am filled with
awe and respect for the way British Hindus have risen to this challenge, and
have gone out of their way to help others. From the amazing doctors and nurses
on the frontline, to the temples that have used their kitchens to feed the
vulnerable and support our key workers, and the heroes in every community
who have carried out acts of kindness to support friends, family and
neighbours.

So this Diwali, let’s all take comfort from the meaning at the heart of this
fantastic festival. And let the many millions of Diwali lights all over the world
shine through the darkness as beacons of hope for a better future.

Shubh Diwali everyone. Once again, I wish you a happy Diwali and a healthy
and prosperous New Year.





The Right Honourable

Rishi Sunak MP

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Namaskar!
It’s a shame we all can’t be together to celebrate this Diwali as normal but
the spirit of what Diwali means lives strong within us – being there for each
other.

It’s been a difficult year but it’s because of the love and support we have
from all our families makes this a very special occasion.

I am sure we will be making use of the technology to connect with all our
near and dear ones and celebrate everything that Diwali means to us!

I wish you all a very Happy Diwali and the best of luck for next year and
look forward to seeing you all in person very soon.

Rishi Sunak

Get Outlook for iOS

From: ANNECCHINI, Giorgio <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, October 2, 2020 11:05:03 AM
To: President HFB <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: 19th Diwali celebraSons : E recepSon on 11th November 20 -16.00 to 18.000
[OFFICIAL]



Dear TrupS,

I hope all is well.

Please see below in italics for Bob’s message.


!પી િદવાળી


As chairman of the APPG for Bri2sh Hindus I wish you all a very happy, prosperous, peaceful and
most importantly healthy Diwali. I hope that this year Diwali passes off peacefully for you all and the
Hindu New year brings everything that you could wish for in your lives and your families lives in
these dark and uncertain 2mes.

It has been my privilege, for a number of years, to host this auspicious event in the House of
Commons. Sadly, due to Covid-19 restric2ons, we cannot meet physically this year but we come to
together spiritually and virtually to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness. How appropriate
during this pandemic. Let us all pray to Lakshmi & Vishnu for happier 2mes ahead.

Shubh Deepavalli


Kind Regards,
Giorgio Annecchini
Parliamentary Assistant
Office of Bob Blackman MP
0207 219 7082
Bob Blackman MP – Data Privacy NoSce


From: President HFB <[email protected]>
Sent: 02 October 2020 09:01
To: BLACKMAN, Bob <[email protected]>; ANNECCHINI, Giorgio
<[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Re: 19th Diwali celebraSons : E recepSon on 11th November 20 -16.00 to 18.000
[OFFICIAL]



The Right Honourable
Sir Keir Starmer
KCB QC MP

I want to wish those in the British Hindu community and everyone celebrating
around the world, a very Happy Diwali.

Diwali is the festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil, lightness over
darkness and knowledge over ignorance. This is particularly significant this
year.

We will be missing many traditional Diwali celebrations due to the restrictions.
Many of you will not be able to see your friends and family in person which will
be incredibly difficult and upsetting.

But lighting a lamp on Diwali symbolises hope which dispels the darkness of
despair. As the world battles the health, economic and social crisis caused by
COVID-19, occasions like Diwali lifts our community spirit and gives us hope.

I want to also use this opportunity to extend my thanks to the Hindu commu-
nity, for the huge contribution you have made during the pandemic, whether
that’s giving seva to the community and helping those in need or on the front-
line working for our NHS.

As you light the lamp and pray for good health, happiness and prosperity for
all, I want to wish you, on behalf of the Labour Party, a very Happy Diwali.



The Rt Hon Jeremy Quin MP
Minister of State for Defence Procurement

Namaste.
I am sorry that I couldn’t join you to celebrate in real time today but I did want to send
you my warmest good wishes for a Happy Diwali.

As a Defence Minister, I couldn’t help thinking how poignant it is that you’re hold-
ing your Festival of Light on 11 November – Armistice Day. After all, Diwali is about
celebrating the triumph of light over darkness. And, when we reflect on our history, how
often have we turned to our proud Hindu community to help banish the shadows in the
midst of our nation’s darkest days?

We have not forgotten that, during the Great War, some three quarters of a million
Hindus deployed overseas in the British Indian Army…earning 8 Victoria Crosses and
fighting in every theatre from the Western Front to East Africa…from Egypt to Mesopo-
tamia. Nor have we forgotten more than 1.25 million Hindus who played a pivotal role
in the Second World War – liberating our continent from Nazi evil some 75 years ago.
And today as Regulars and Reservists, Hindus continue to make an immense contribu-
tion to our Armed Forces all over the world.

Whether deterring aggression in Eastern Europe or stopping terror in the Middle East.
They are ensuring our nation remains a beacon of light to the oppressed and the down-
trodden. So today is our chance to illuminate your fantastic achievements and say thank
you for being a shining example to our country.

Today we are again living in a period of turbulence but I know you will continue send-
ing your fireworks skyward – offering us eternal hope of a better, safer and more pros-
perous future. And reminding us that the darkest hour is always just before the dawn.

The Rt Hon Jeremy Quin MP

All Pary Parliamentry Group for British Hindu’s

Commonwealth Service of Rememberance at
Westminster Abbey





The Right Honorable
Professor Mark Drakeford MS
First Minister of Wales - Prif Weinidog Cymru

This year, Diwali will be a very different kind of celebration for our Hindu communi-
ties across Wales and the UK. But I strongly believe that with the love and support
of our families, friends and neighbours we will get through these difficult times.

I am grateful for the response to the pandemic that the Hindu community has
made, both individually and collectively

The Hindu Forum of Britain and the Hindu Council of Wales are just two examples of
the contribution British Hindus make to our communities. Whether it is in business,
medicine, the voluntary sector, the police, the armed services, law or journalism, the
contribution is appreciated by the wider British public.

I meet with representatives from the Hindu Council of Wales during the year through
the coming together of the Faith Communities Forum, which I Chair. Their support,
constructive advice and guidance throughout this pandemic is greatly valued by the
Welsh Government.

I wish you all a very peaceful and happy Diwali.

Cllr. Reena Ranger OBE Reena was successfully elected as one of the three District Councillors for Moor Park &
Eastbury in May 2014. She previously ran as a County Council Candidate 2013 and was
a Parliamentary Candidate in the 2017 General Election. She addressed the delegates at
the Conservative Party Conference in 2017 on the topic of “Fighting Injustices” and was
appointed co-chair of the Conservative Friends of India in 2020. Reena is Chairman and
Co-Founder of Women Empowered, a grass roots, social initiative that aims to inspire
and help women make the best of their individual talents and skills by connecting with
successful and inspirational women and to help them make the most of their abilities and
help them gain new opportunities through a variety of events. The group is championed
and supported by prominent women and men from all walks of life, from politics to media,
from finance to music.www.womenempowered.co.uk . It also consists of a charitable arm
based on the donation of time an service and an online blog. She was awarded an OBE
in the Queen’s 2019 Birthday Honours list for services to BAME women.

Reena has worked within her family business for almost 20 years. She has worked in
variety of roles, always close to the heart of activity she has been involved closely from
both operational and strategic aspects

Reena is a TedX speaker and has contributed to a variety of Asian media newspapers
and radio.





The Hindu Forum of Britain sincerely thank all of the below Members of
Parliament for their kind wishes and responses for our
Diwali celebrations 2020

The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP The Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Secretary of State for Education
Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Rt Hon Brandon Lewis CBE MP Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Secretary of State for

Digital Culture Media and Sport

Happy Diwali! I would like to send my best wishes to
everyone celebrating Diwali. This festival is a special
time of year for people from the Hindu, Sikh and Jain
communities, but its tradition of unity, generosity and
forgiveness can have relevance for everyone.

The Right Honourable Even though we are not able to celebrate together this
Theresa Villiers year, the positive Diwali message of the victory of light
MP over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good
over evil, should resonate with all of us, regardless of
faith or cultural background.





Arlene Foster MLA
The First Minister of Northern Ireland
Namaste
I send my very best wishes to all communities celebrating Diwali this year.
The uplifting message of the Festival of Lights, speaks to every one of us.
We are reminded that even in the darkest of times, there is hope for a brighter
future.
That ultimately, good will triumph over evil and better times are ahead.
This has real meaning at a time when we are united in combatting a global
pandemic.
I want to pay a particular tribute to the selfless contribution of those from the Indian
community. We owe an immense debt of gratitude to all of our doctors, nurses,
carers, community workers, faith and civic leaders who are working so hard to save
lives and keep people safe.
I’m reminded of the thousands of lights that lit the way for the return of Lord Rama
and Sita.
And I remember Diwali’s timeless values of togetherness, duty and service.
This year, of course, the celebrations will be very different. I would like to commend
the President of the Hindu Forum of Britain, Mrs Trupti Patell, for her work in guiding
communities on ways to safely enjoy the Festival this year.
I am honoured to be asked to participate in the 19th Diwali reception at
Westminster which promises to be an exciting and colourful event. I’d like to
take this opportunity to wish everyone a new year with happiness, good health and
prosperity.
Shubh Diwali.

Michelle O’Neill MLA
The Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
The Diwali celebrations are a beacon of hope and optimism for many people.
The message of Diwali is particularly relevant to the situation we find ourselves in
right across the world today.

This year Covid-19 has cast a shadow over our world and brought dark times on our
society.

But in that darkness we look for light and we hold on to hope for brighter days
ahead and a better future.

While the global pandemic has brought hardship and grief to so many, it has also
shone a light on the goodness in our people, and the Diwali festival reminds us of
the importance of looking after our loved ones, looking out for each other and treat-
ing everyone with respect.

This year Diwali may be very different to normal, but I have no doubt the 2020 festi-
val of lights will still be a colourful and joyous celebration.

I would like to wish our Hindu community here locally, and across the world, a very
happy Diwali and a healthy and hopeful New Year.

Michelle O’Neill
Deputy First Minister





Best wishes for a
happy, prosperous
and healthy Diwali

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Tribute to Late Shree Haribhai Halai

Haribhai Halai – Karma Yogi with a Vision
Some people say that you can sometimes know the reach of a person by the number of people of
come to pay their last respects to that person. If this was a measure then Haribhai Halai had an im-
mense reach with over 300 people attending his final rites, with people completely filling up the hall
of the crematorium patiently paying their respects standing beyond the front entrance. This reach
was not just one of people knowing him as the past President of SKPLC or the Trustee of Hindu Fo-
rum of Britain but reaching their minds and hearts with the depth and wideness of his vision and
the warmth and compassion of his heart.

Haribhai was involved with the Hindu Forum Britain right from its very inception. The concept of the
Forum came about as a result of many Hindu temples and organisations coming together in 2003
after the desecration of the murtis at the Sanatan Mandir on Wembley. Together with Arjan Vekaria,
C B Patel, Gauri Prabhu, Prakash Gandecha, Ramesh Kallidai and Trupti Patel amongst many more,
the idea of forming an organisation to deal with such incidents was floated which Haribhai whole-
heartedly supported.

His philanthropy, activism and passion for working tirelessly for the community was well known
to all of us who had the good fortune of knowing him personally. With a clear focus and mind, he
would be able to guide us in all our endeavours with wisdom and practical ideas which would im-
mediately make sense. This was one of his gift which was appreciated by all besides the energy and
ability to carry through all that needed to be done even if it meant doing it himself.

A life journey which took him from his birth place of Nairobi, relocating many times and eventually
settling down in the UK. He was inspired by his father who instilled in him global philosophies of
equality and hard work in the service of the community whether it was in Madhapar or Manchester.
He was involved or led hundreds of such community projects including organising sports events,
women empowerment, collection of relief funds both in India and the UK. Honesty, integrity, charity
and compassion were some of his virtues which we would see manifest wherever and whenever he
was present with a quiet sense of humour that informed and delighted. He was a true leader and
spokesman for Hindu Forum of Britain, Hindu Forum of Europe amongst all the other organisations
he was actively involved in.

Haribhai was a noble person of great vision, a true and selfless representative of Hinduism and his
leadership, august presence and valuable advice will be missed by many throughout the world.

Tribute to Late
Shri Arjanbhai Karandas Vekaria JP

A perso’s true wealth is the good he does in the world and even death cannot take that
away from you. You will be truly missed - gone but never forgotten.

May God rest his soul in eternal peace.
Om Shanti Om Shanti Om Shanti

Achievements:-

• Elected President of Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) in 2009. The largest umbrella body
for British Hindus.

• HFB represents over 300 member organisations around the country

• Appointed Justice of the Peace (Magistrate) in April 2004 by the Lord Chancellor.

• Actively involved in setting up a series of training courses and workshops for younger
offenders, in partnership with Metropolitan Police Hindu Association.

• Appointed trustee of Vascroft Foundation (a Charity that aims to assist in humanitarian
causes across the globe).

• Appointed Chairman of the Samakti Mission
UK in 2005, organising discourses and
seminars in English with learned Scholars
and Saints from India concerning Hindu
Heritage, Culture, Religion, Values etc.

• Editor in Chief of monthly magazine Hindu
Today and Demystifying India.

• Elected President of SKLPC (UK) in 2007-2013
and Patron in 2003.

greater need for the light that the Yog Foundation brings to the Hindu community.
- Desmond Deehan FRSA, CEO/ Executive Headteacher, Odyssey Trust for Education

Diwali wishes also from
UK REGISTERED CHARITY: 1185740

WRet. aHotn. YSior DgaviFdoEvuennndettaMtPi.on wish you aRnt. dHony. Joaumers lBorovkeensdhiroe MnPes
a happy and blessed Diwali and prosperous new year

BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO DO GOOD

eYmoldgoedrFeloyr,undnrdiesaalcetbh“vioOalaeHlnnlndeinctnishdoegeuirpnosbgad,feasiyhsHsevaaiaielondfrrnydovaafauhnttadnhteptrtepaahayLegdbo-DecinotLoiddiwuono.outatnnOrilesiisbBueaFuoanrrrtrevndiomoniducnpcgisirhscnho,sousgDoifplofettetnuhpBhroeureeieutxsHys,lneitnpLNeyoed,aeeaIuwerddwtscseiYoitcsreamohuaobfmlfrealtvBauirshenhelryheixeytlayoeaawdnylmo.eicCdc2oeaao0enntlu2rlgtytn0hrccheefhiolauamYfstsooubmgbrreeeupFeeonnrnguoiftenamaydnnnoaetbeattrxiesiaotntrntiigectiamotttnnoehhdslsyeeaelel.”

/@yogfoundation www.yog.foundation [email protected] /yogfoundationkent

“On behalf of the Odyssey Trust for Education, we wish everyone at Yog Foundation and all

Hindus a very happy Diwali and prosperous New Year ahead. There's has perhaps never been a

- greater need for the light that tEhxJeecYauotgnivFeaoHuknedaiadttMieoancebhrehirn,gtOsadtyostsheey Hindu community.
Desmond Deehan FRSA, CEO/ Trust for Education

Diwali wishes also from

Janaki Mehta is a professional Kathak and Bharatnatyam

Rt. Hon. Sir David Evennett MP. dancer based inRLto. nHdoonn.. JSahemceosmBplreotekdenhsehr dirieploMmPa and

post diploma in both dance forms from Bharatiya Vidya

Bhavan.

She completed her Kathak Rang Manch Pravesh in 2010
and has performed many solo productions since then.
She has had the opportunity to travel and perform all
over the world. Janaki is particularly interested in study-
ing Vedic poetry, choreography and also writing her own
poetry. Janaki uses her dance training to perform and
raise funds for charities.

She is involved with Food for Life Vrindavan, Braj Animal
Care and Food for Life UK to name a few. Janaki is an LLB
graduate from King’s College London and completed the

B R I N G I N G T H E C O M M U N I T YLPCTfrOomGBEPPTLHawEScRhoTolOwithDdOistinGctioOn.OSDhe balances

Yog Foundation is passionate about servicinghetrhdeannceeecdarseeorfwtihtheawfuidll etimr ceocamremeruansitayCobmepiltiatnhcee
elderly, disabled or disadvantaged. Our missiAonnalyissttinotehsetCaitby.lish a centre for promoting the
modern relevance of Hindu traditions and culture, particularly among future generations

/@yogfoundation www.yog.foundation [email protected] /yogfoundationkent

Swami Surya Prabha didi.

Namaskar,
Diwali as a festival of Light it gives life and love as well. We con-
nect this festival with lot of big event from vedic time to today’s
modern day. Mahaluxmi goddess killed Mahashasur in this day
and Lord Rama came back to Ayodhya .

This festival is festival of unity Mahaluxmi is formation of energy
incarnated from collective energy of all the gods which repre-
sents our spiritual energy and killed the demon which is Agyan
as ignorance thats why we light Diyas this represents you can
become immortal energy by getting rid of your darkness ( igno-
rance) and lightning diyas which is wisdom.

May God bless everyone with wisdom , love and happiness.

Happy Diwali!
Swami Surya Prabha.



Visakha Dasi

May the entire universe be blessed with peace and good hope.
May everyone driven by envy and enmity be pacified and reconciled.
May all living beings develop abiding concern for the welfare of others.
May our own hearts and minds be filled with purity and serenity.
May all these blessings flow naturally from this supreme benediction:
May our attention become spontaneously absorbed in the rapture of pure love unto the
transcendent personalities,
Sri Sri Sita Rama, Laxshman, and Hanuman.
(from Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.9)

Whatever happens to us, let us remain fixed in our faith and devotion to Rama, know-
ing that Rama Himself said, “It is My vow that if one only once seriously surrenders unto
Me, saying ‘My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours,’ and prays to Me for fearlessness, I
shall immediately award fearlessness to that person.” (Ramayana, Yuddha-kanda 12.20,
spoken by Lord Ramacandra)

As we turn toward Sita Rama at the auspicious time of Diwali, They will shelter us. As we
serve Them with love and devotion, They will bring us ever closer to Themselves. Each
one of us has this priceless opportunity, an opportunity that will evoke irrepressible
hope within our hearts!

Diwali ki jaya!







Diwali Message from Mr Shashi Vekaria

Chair of Patron of the HFB
Namaste
Diwali, the festival of lights, reminds us of the victory of good over evil.
This major festival of Hindus though celebrated with unbounded joy and charm;
signifies the importance of peace, prosperity, and communal harmony amongst the
people in our society and more pertinently in the extended world wherein social

justice succeeds all form of human values. Diwali celebrations are moved by the central thought that good
always prevails over evil.
So, Diwali is increasingly celebrated by all regardless of cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds. This is sim-
ply because; the message is one that we all identify with. In short, the “unity in diversity” has elevated us to a
level that the world citizens take a cue from our rich Dharmik values.

Happy Diwali from the Team HFB

Truptiben Patel Dr Ramesh Pattni OBE Harshaben Shukla MBE Mr Puneet Dwivedi

Devshi Chothani Mr Rickie Segal

Vice President Midlands – Hindu Forum Britain

Namaste
Happy Diwali
Diwali is once again upon us bringing joy and good will to us all.We think of our children and how we as a family celebrated Diwali
then.At Diwali time we remember our childhood memories with our mum, dad, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunties.The precious
golden years of our lives, filled with fond memories. Our time in this life is so short, that we need to spend it by being happy and
by spending time with those we care about.

Times like these, our Hindu faith plays a crucial role in bringing peace to our mind and soul.Temples are our sanctuaries, a place to
forget our troubles and worries and to pray to our maker for guidance.Temples are homes to many that welcomes you in, a safe
place to share, meet and greet family and friends, escaping even if it’s for a short time.

My hearty wish is that this Diwali brings happiness and joy with Prosperity to you and your family.

Diwali Shubhakamana and Nutan Varshabhinandan
Mr Tarang Shelat
Vice President Midlands – Hindu Forum Britain

HEALING SESSION AT THE NEHRU CENTRE

18TH SEPTEMBER 2019
On the 15th of August 2019, a day which was meant to be one of celebration and joy at the High Commission of
India in London, it became a day of terror and grief. More than 120 adults and children had gathered together
in anticipation of these celebrations of Indian independence. Upon arrival they were confronted by a well-
orchestrated oppression and violence by members of the community who saw this as an opportunity to harass
and indeed terrorise those who had come in joy to celebrate this significant day. For more than four hours these
innocent people come to celebrate were surrounded and cordoned off by more than 500 offensive aggressors
who took every chance to insult them in the basest manner and throw missiles of eggs, tomatoes, potatoes and
even razor blades. They had been brought by coaches from all over the UK with a specific intention of causing
chaos and terror with their large numbers and offensive tactics. In a place where one should have assured of
safety and security by the police force who, despite having the intelligence of such aggression to be carried out,
were thin on the ground, helpless in the face of the mob who had no concern about anyone’s safety, there was
only great agitation and fear. It was only towards the end that reinforcements were deployed only because the
High Commission of India made calls to the authority for these.

In the aftermath, so many of the people who had come to celebrate suffered traumatic and hate crime
related symptoms and had to seek help from professionals. Children could not understand this level of aggression
towards them which left them traumatised and unable to deal with the experience. They did not have water to
drink nor any food for four hours during which time they suffered by incessant heckling, name calling and throw-
ing of missiles.
The Hindu Forum of Britain under the leadership of its President Mrs Trupti Patel, recognised the trauma
experienced by the people who had come together to celebrate and took the initiative to have a healing
session on the 18th September at the Nehru Centre. The event was attended by many of those who suffered
at the hands of the aggressors and gave first hand accounts of their experiences. Many of them spoke with
great emotion and several had tears in their eyes recounting the experiences of the four hour siege. Compered
by Minal Jaiswal and Amar Trivedi, the event started with a welcome from Mrs Trupti Patel who spoke of the
importance of healing from trauma of the events on the 15th August and the way forward. Vedic prayers
with explanations were then said by Pandit Madhava Turumella who emphasised the need to also remember
the fallen in the struggle for Indian Independence and spoke about the power of the mantras to begin the
healing process for those who were the victims of the hate-crime on the 15th August in London. First hand
testimonies of personal experiences were given by Lakshmi Kaul, Minal Jaiswal , Dr Harshaben Jani, C K
Naidu, Minal Jaiswal and Jayubhai Shah. All of these created a huge response in the audience and there were
comments of support and anger at what had happened. Many comments were made about the inadequacies in
police protection and presence and how people felt unsafe and insecure.

Mr Brij Kumar Guhare, Deputy Director, The Nehru Centre welcomed everyone on behalf of the HCI. The
Minister of Coordination Shree Manmeet Singh then spoke about what the staff of the High Commission had
done to alleviate the situation and bring it to normality. As a result, the police force responded by sending
commandos who were then able to clear the pathway to the entrance of the High Commission and allow entry
to those who had come to celebrate. He empathised with the victims and noted that he saw strength in the way
they had behaved themselves in a dignified manner.
Also Dr Ramesh Pattni, Vice President of Hindu Forum Britain, spoke of the guidance of the Bhagavad Gita
in dealing with trauma and stress. Just like Arjuna was experiencing such a condition in the middle of the
battlefield so also the victims of that day went through such a distressing experience. Bhagwan Krishna gives
Arjuna the way in which one can become resilient and equanimous with great inner strength by being centred
in the moment, letting go of all attachments to the past, present and future and with devotion, doing one’s
dharma. Such an individual is able to cope with any difficulty in life in a dharmic way and at the same time main-
taining complete inner balance. Smt. Nandini Singh from Delhi narrated a short storey from the leaf of Shree
Krishna ‘s childhood depicting subjugation of evil Kali-nag. This gave a clear message of being brave to stand up
to all evil in the society.

Dr Vivek Kaul then explained the symptoms of trauma and how these can be overcome by talking about it and
then deconstructing it and understanding it in the right way for healing and balance. Mr Pravinbhai Amin partici-
pated in this exercise and Mr Mukesh Kerallia passionately suggested future actions for the community.
Mr Darshan Nagi gave conducted Reiki session for everyone.
The Hate-Crime Unit of Metropolitan Police was represented by two officers who spoke about hate crime and
the process by which this needs to be reported and how it would be dealt with by the police force. A booklet on
Hate Crime was given out which gave details of what to do if you have experienced such a crime. He also spoke
about how this crime is on the increase in the UK and urged everyone to report such incidences when they
occur.
A vote of thanks was given by the Director of Hindu Forum Britain, Mr Mitesh Vekaria who thanked the
Nehru Centre and the High Commission of India to facilitate this event and also thanked everyone for their
participation in the event.

Velji Vekaria DR RAMESH PATTNI DPhil (Oxford)
VP LONDON & SOUTH EAST Hindu Forum Britain

Since the last Diwali, it looks like the whole world has gone into a spin with the rise of the COVID-19 virus that has
engulfed everyone into experiencing a new norm. An unprecedented situation that has developed since it’s outbreak at
the end of last to now, when we are all under one form of restriction or another under lockdown.

All of sudden Hindu Forum Britain was even more at the forefront, this time for the war against the virus. And HFB was
ready with all the resources it had developed over the last 20 years to put behind this fight. Together with the other
members of the team, I took part in understanding our predicament as it unfolded in our meetings with the Ministers,
Government officials and departments that wanted to learn about our community and how it was coping with the
restrictions, what it needed to support and the guidance, a huge amount of complex information, that it needs dissemi-
nate. This has become a regular interaction with multiple facets of all levels of Government.

There were many projects that started off in response to the virus and consequences of lockdown. Firstly, the Hindu
Emergency Action Response Team (HEART) that I had suggested by me last year to the team came quickly into opera-
tion with many of the national level Hindu organisations coming together in the prevailing situation. The flow of informa-
tion quickly gathered pace and the guidance from the Government was cascaded down to the community through this
group.

Secondly, I helped in formulating the SEWA HELPHUB. This was an initiative of Sewa International and they we keen
to understand how this can be set up and how the call handlers can be trained. I held a training session for a group and
this material is still being used to train other volunteers. It provided a platform for community members getting in touch
for all kinds of issues. In particular, with my background in psychology and counselling, I was able to create training for
mental first aid support for whoever might need it through the Helpline.

Thirdly, I was called upon to help in advising on the creation of the British Hindu Report for informing the APPG for Brit-
ish Hindus about the current state of the community in the UK. The Report has already been initiated with a compre-
hensive survey that will collect valuable information, opinions and attitudes of Hindus on the most significant facets of
life in the UK including education, politics, economics, and social and mental wellbeing. This will establish a baseline
for the community’s views on these matters and future reports will point to trends in these. This is a very important
part of the work for the community as it will not only provide evidence-based data on the community but will also guide
national and local government policy making that will take into account the needs of the community.

Fourthly, I was asked to advise on the matter of Hindu religious education (RE) in schools and the barriers and the
bridges that are currently there. There was a survey that was created to collect comprehensive data on this important
matter of teaching of Hinduism in schools and it promises interesting insights. It will also be an evidence-based guide
for the community and the Government to inform and act on.

This are some of the significant areas of work I have been involved in and I anticipate that as the ‘new norm’ continues,
our community will need to pull up its resources to make these transitions as they arise. The HFB has and will continue
to take a leading role in this work in the service of the community and the wider society.

Namaste,

I am delighted to wish HFB Sponsors, supporters and members of the organisation a
very Happy Diwali and a Prosperous New Year.

It’s the time of the year, when we are facing great changes and many challenges.
With strength and great spirit from you all, it enables us to navigate our way through
these uncertain times. I would be failing in my duty if i don’t appreciate the hard
work done by Late Haribhai Halai who passed away earlier this year. He was not only
a great supporter of HFB but also one of the founding members of HFB and other
Hindu Organisations. We miss his presence today.

I would like to thank all the members and the volunteers for their support, and what
you have done to ensure HFB continues to go from strength to strength.

Velji Vekaria
HFB Diwali Event Coordinator

Harsha Shukla MBE
Vice president north for HFB
President of Hindu Council of North

Shubh Deepawali

Namaste

We have a saying in our scritpture “VASUDHEV KUTUMKUM “ meaning whole
universe is one family. We are connected with each other in many ways, like
with nature or in sad or happy times.

At present, the whole world has been gulped in Covid19
pedamic. We all are trying to work together to bring solutattion and a way to
move forward.

HFB has been instrumental in helping the community weather it is an indi-
vidual or an organisation.

Being the Vice President North, I have been involve helping communites in
the North as well as attending on-line meetings with the London faith forum,
UKWFN, helping it’s members with their issue and concerns.

On behalf of the HFB, I took and did a Robin style interview with the BBC local
stations and also spoke on Ganesh Churthi on Lancashire radio.

Diwali means to me to give light of path to needy and expel the darkness and
give them guidance to lead righteous path.
Jai hind

Harsha Shukla MBE
NAMASKAR

S E WA . . .
Sewa in Hinduism means selfless service. Since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 , the
faceless and nameless volunteers of sewaday.org , a U.K. registered charity are working across the country to
help local community.
Our region SewaDayNorthWest is one of the 30 regions of the charity. As a lead co-ordinator I am reporting the
sewa activities of our local region SewaDayNorthWest based mainly around Greater Manchester ,Warrington
and Macclesfield.

SewaDayNorthWest started work in Covid pandemic with four distinct categories :
• Helping the Vulnerable
• Care For The Carers
• Spread some joy campaign
• Replenishing FoodBanks
• Helping the vulnerable
•
-We helped the elderly people in our community with telephone calls inquiring about their health/helping with
their shopping runs/medicine deliveries
-supported the stranded Indian & other international students in Manchester studying in the various universities
of the north west by providing them with dry groceries , minor financial help , cooked vegetarian meals on some
occasions. Along with Student support group we provided guidance about dealing with rogue landlords , pro-
curing part time jobs , helping in asking for help with their respective universities.
-we supplied surgical face masks donated by commercial providers to care home staffs who were in dire need
of it at the time.

2.Care for the carers
The Care For Carers project has run for 8 weeks from the first weeks of April 2020. SewaDay North West team
comprising volunteers from Trafford/South Manchester started before the Easter break &

(a) supplied 1050 easter eggs donated by Morrisons to the A&E & other NHS workers of 4 hospitals & 2 hos-
pices in south Manchester/salford & then
(b) supplied around 1600 hot vegetarian meals to NHS staff working in the covid wards in Wythenshawe Hospi-
tal for 8 wks finishing on the 28th of may
(c) supplied essential food items & toiletries to Salford Royal hospital for staff working in the covid wards on two
occasions
(d) SewaDayNorthWest distributed around 400 kg of ‘Dates’ across 22 places as a token of appreciation to
frontline staff working during Covid times including hospitals , ambulance and fire stations.

3.Spread some joy campaign
To help elderly combat loneliness we requested young children to make greetings ,paintings & drawings that
were sent to various nursing homes and hospitals in the region. This was very well received and help to tackle
mental health issues during the lockdown.

4. Replenish food bank
To help food poverty due Covid Pandemic SewaDayNorthWest supplied 5.6 tonnes of long lasting vegetarian
food to around 16 food banks and food hubs a food Greater Manchester through network of around 65 volun-
teers.
We are also sharing cooked vegetarian meals to the homeless across Manchester.

SewaDay North West has also distributed washable & re-usable face masks

Nationally, the 2000 odd volunteers of sewaday.org across 30 regions of U.K. have been doing commendable
sewa. Till date, sewaday has delivered over one million meals worth of food to the needy by replenishing food
banks & food hubs.
During the acute lockdown phase sewaday.org looked after front-liners serving more than 40 hospitals. More
than 11000 cards were sent to hospitals.
Acknowledgement
The Covid work of our Hindu inspired charity Sewaday has been acknowledged across party lines. It was
mentioned thrice in UK parliament including during the Prime minister question by Boris Johnson , many MPs
including the past Prime Minister Theresa May.
sewaday is there fortunate more and more volunteers are joining our selfless sewa to help the local community.
For more information to Voluteer please visit sewaday.org
Locally please mail [email protected]

S E WA . . .

Covid-19 Guidance for Hindu Mandir’s

Namaste
As the COVID-19 lockdown eases, various spaces are opening up to ac-
tivity again including places of worship. The mandirs are also putting
into place the guidance for reopening and individual traditions and their
temples are already proceeding with their plans. It must be remem-
bered that opening must be done in line with the government guide-
lines that have been issued in close consultation with the faiths in the
UK. These can be located here.

The HFB has been involved right from the beginning in consultation with
various government ministries and departments and local government
including the Mayor of London’s office. HFB has been actively engaged
with all aspects of the impact of COVID-19 on the Hindu community
through its President, the Vice-Presidents, and Senior committee mem-
bers. The guidance given below is a result of these consultations and
gives the key principles for reopening of the temples that must be con-
sidered and adapted according to the spaces and circumstances of the
individual temples.

We have compiled a list of useful resources to assist you in reopening
your respective Mandirs and
community centres:

• The Government has published guidance on special religious services
and gatherings which can be accessed here.

• Strengthening Faith Institutions (SFI), has published comprehensive
guidance on best practice for reopening places of worship which can
be accessed here

• The Government’s places of worship (POW) security funding scheme
is also currently open for applications. Further details can be found
here.

• ISKCON have published comprehensive guidelines and a template
tracking tool to support other centres with risk assessments. This can
be accessed here.

• Gurdwara Aid are kindly providing free PPE for faith centres across
England. Please email [email protected] if you are interested in
obtaining supplies.

Stay safe.

Covid-19 Guidance for Hindu Mandir’s

Additional key points to bear in mind are:
• A detailed and bespoke risk assessment is essential to reopening.
• Security around the place of worship is the responsibility of the venue
manager.
• A system of trace and track should be in place.
• The 2 Metre social distancing rule is preferential to 1 Metre+
• Congregational signing is not currently allowed.
• If it doesn’t feel safe, don’t open up.

October Faith Roundtables follow-up

Summary of our update on the Guidance
• Places of worship are open in all three COVID Local Alert Levels (‘Tiers’). This is
thanks to the hard work of all faith communities who have made sure places of
worship are COVID-secure and are keeping worshippers safe.
• The difference between the levels is the way you can interact with people within the
place of worship. At all levels, social distancing (1m +) between different households
should be adhered to and face coverings should be worn.
o At the Medium Level (Tier 1) – The ‘Rule of 6’ still applies. You can go into a
place of worship and interact with a group of up to 6 people comprised of
different households.
o At the High Level (Tier 2) – You must only interact with your own household
indoors in a place of worship, but the Rule of 6 applies outdoors.
o At the Very High Level (Tier 3) – You must only interact with your own
household both indoors and outdoors.

• Test and Trace is not currently mandated for places of worship, but we are strongly
encouraging the use of the NHS QR Codes to support the Test and Trace system.
Multiple QR codes can be used to split the place of worship into different “zones” for
people to check into, which should mean that if there is a confirmed positive case in a
place of worship, the need for the entire congregation to self-isolate is reduced ,
although the Test & Trace team would advise individuals over the phone.

• The Government has also announced that from 29 October, NHS Covid-19 app
users will benefit from a more accurate and user-friendly app. This is the latest in a
series of updates since the national launch, designed to improve the efficacy and
usability of the app.

• We know how important singing is to all of your communities and how central it is to
communal worship. At the moment, the leaders and choirs (either professional or
small groups of amateur singers) can sing during communal worship in order to lead
the community in prayer and song, but the congregation cannot join in.

• Weddings (both legally-binding marriages and non-legally binding wedding
ceremonies) can also take place at all three COVID Local Alert Levels with up to 15
attendees. We know that these occasions are times where people will particularly
want to interact with one another, so during a wedding, all of the 15 attendees can
interact with one another but should still socially distance.

• Wedding Receptions can take place in Medium and High Local Alert Levels, but not
in Very High Alert Level Areas. Receptions can also have up to 15 attendees, and all
attendees can interact with one another with social distancing.

• Funerals can take place in all three COVID Local Alert Levels with up to 30
attendees. As with weddings, all attendees can interact with one another to offer
support to the mourners but social distancing should be maintained.

• Post-death commemorative ceremonies, such as wakes, stone settings or
scattering of ashes, can take place in all COVID Local Alert Levels with up to 15
attendees and all attendees can interact with one another but social distancing
should be maintained.