Dr Guna Magesan, one of the founding members of the Council and Rotorua Deepawali Festival Coordinator said wearing shoes while lighting the traditional Lamp was against the Hindu way of observing an auspicious occasion.
“Dignitaries invariably are seen in their footwear while lighting the traditional Lamp, which is a form of invocation to God before the start of an event. The Ethnic Affairs Office would do well to consult a knowledgeable Hindu before organising festivals,” he said, referring to the Diwali celebrations held in Parliament on November 10.
“Similarly, the invocation to Lord Ganesha at the start of the proceedings will have the marking of its seriousness and piety,” he said.
He said he was not critical but was just appealing to political and community leaders of the Hindu way of life.
He also suggested a varying theme for the Festival each year.
This would break the monotony and make the Festival more colourful, he said and suggested ‘Youth Participation and Leadership’ as a theme for Diwali 2011, as focused at Rotorua Deepawali this year.
An Indian Newslink reader, who was at the Festival held in Parliament, said Hindus should point out the procedure, just as Sikhs and Muslims guide visitors to Gurdwaras and Mosques.
“Dignitaries including Ministers and Parliamentarians will gladly follow the traditions that are sacred to our individual faiths,” he said.
Dr Magesan praised the vision of New Zealand leadership in according a status of importance to Diwali in Parliament.
“It was an honour that the Festival had the presence of Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne, the then Ethnic Affairs Minister Pansy Wong, Opposition Leader Phil Goff, Members of Parliament Dr Rajen Prasad and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and community leaders and a cross-section of New Zealand population,” he said.
