Next Diwali in UK may be a national holiday

A Diwali lamp was lit at St Paul's Cathedral and the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke on the festival of lights as Indians across Britain celebrated Diwali with traditional fervour.

Archbishop Rowan Williams, leading a remembrance service on Tuesday to commemorate the victims of July 7 bombings in London, gave the practical workings of Diwali message 'light over darkness', Anil Bhanot, General Secretary of Hindu Council, UK, said.

The Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, read a message at St Paul's to say that whilst 'we belong to different faith traditions, we commit ourselves to fostering the mutual trust that may flourish on the basis of respect and understanding'.

Bhanot and several other faith leaders joined the Bishop in saying: "We pledge ourselves to work together to make this goal an enduring reality."

Dr Jagdish Sharma, HC, UK Chairman, said Diwali was celebrated by a multitude of faiths including Hindu Sanatan Dharma, Arya, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh and even Zoroastrian.

He suggested that a national bank holiday at the end of October would go a long way to bring about a greater synthesis of cultures and faiths, a move towards a truly integrated society in the UK.