Hundreds of devotees and community members gathered at the newly opened BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Lower Hutt to celebrate Diwali and the Hindu New Year in the presence of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, The Right Honourable Christopher Luxon.
Mr. Luxon personally added the final preparatory touches to a bowl of shiro, before placing it in the colorful annakut display of over 900 vegetarian food delicacies offered to the deities. Thereafter, he performed the arti.
During his time at the mandir, the prime minister spoke with community members, young and old, listening to their stories and sharing in their joy on this auspicious day.
Addressing the assembly, he said, "Today, we are celebrating the central idea of Diwali which is that light will always triumph over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over hopelessness.
“You have enriched our country tremendously – economically, socially and culturally. We wouldn’t be the New Zealand that we are today without your strong, vibrant contributions.
“Thank you for caring about your community and continuing to impart the teachings to the next generation of young people coming through.”
The prime minister reflected on his previous engagements with BAPS, including meeting Kiwi volunteers during his March 2025 visit to Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi, and his 2023 visit to the BAPS Mandir in Auckland.
In a special gesture, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj wrote a personal letter to the prime minister, offering prayers for peace, prosperity, and unity amongst all New Zealanders. The letter was presented during the celebration.
Accompanying the prime minister were Ministers Hon. Chris Bishop and Hon. Louise Upston, along with MPs Nancy Lu, Carlos Cheung, Rima Nakhle, and Tim Costley, and other parliamentary colleagues.