Diwali celebrated with candles and oil lamps at Richmond temple

Richmond’s Sikh temple has been brightly lit with candles and oil lamps for the past five days in celebration of Diwali, the Indian festival of lights.

Local Hindu and Sikh communities have been coming together to celebrate at Nanak Niwas Gurdwara, Richmond's Indian Cultural Centre on No. 5 Road, since Thursday.

"We all came together to celebrate it in a big wave. Celebrations like this reflect the beauty and value of being Canadians - we share so many things in common although we come from different cultures," said Balwant Sanghera, president of the Indian Culture Centre. 

The festival is celebrated among Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Newar Buddhists. 

For some, the festival honours the goddess of wealth, but for Sikhs, Diwali holds significance for other reasons, explained Sanghera. It marks the release of Guru Hargobind Singh, the sixth Sikh Guru, who was released from a Mughal prison with 52 Hindu princes. The guru, Sanghera explained, then helped the 52 innocent princes return to safety -- without starting a war. 

However, for Sanghera, the greater significance of Diwali today is its power to bring together people of diverse communities. He’s happy to see the festival of lights has turned into a community event that connects different neighbourhoods in Richmond.

"Please feel free to drop by at the temple at next year's Diwali. We will prepare Indian sweets and vegetarian meals for you," said Sanghera.