Deputy Prime Minister and MP for Ashton-under-Lyne Angela Rayner joined thousands of people from the local community at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, the Hindu temple on Lees Road in Ashton-under-Lyne, to experience the vibrant sounds, flavours, and colours of Diwali – the Hindu ‘Festival of Light’ – and the Hindu New Year.

The event – one of the largest devotional celebrations in Greater Manchester – featured a special ceremony on 31 October, the day of Diwali, to bless business owners, families, and students with righteous prosperity and success.

Kinjal Patel, a leading volunteer at the temple, explained, “Diwali and the Hindu New Year reaffirm and strengthen values of goodwill, charity, and harmony across communities in the UK. As families continue to grapple with challenges, it was heartwarming to bring festive joy and smiles to the people of Tameside and Greater Manchester and share memories that will bring hope and light for the rest of the year and beyond.”

A highlight for visitors on 2 November, the first day of the Hindu New Year, was the beautiful Annakut – ‘a mountain of food’ consisting of hundreds of freshly prepared dishes, artistically arranged as a devotional offering of the first meal of the New Year made in thanksgiving to God. The sanctified food was later distributed among volunteers and worshippers in keeping with the community spirit of Diwali.

During her visit on 2 November, the Deputy Prime Minister remarked, “It’s fantastic to be here at [the] BAPS [Shri Swaminarayan Mandir] in Manchester, in my constituency, today”. Wishing everyone a Happy Diwali she added, “the message of Diwali – the message of light and hope – I think it is an incredible message to give to people at the moment when we have had some difficult times over the last number of years with the pandemic, and the unrest you see internationally – it is nice to see that message of hope coming through to our community.”

Other guests included the Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, Navendu Mishra MP for Stockport and Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester.

All of the dignitaries (see under notes to editors for a full list) who attended over the Diwali festivities, took the time to meet with local volunteers – thanking them for their tireless efforts, as well as well-wishers who were attending the celebrations at the temple.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester said: “I am so grateful to the Hindu community here in Ashton in Tameside and across Greater Manchester for the huge contribution that the community makes to life in our city-region.”

As the event drew to a close, the smiles, laughter, and shared moments of joy highlighted the spirit of Diwali. It was a testament to the enduring values of togetherness and kindness, bringing light and hope to the community as they look forward to the year ahead.