Bolton's Hindu Community celebrate Guru Purnima and Hindola Festivals

(A traditioanl Hindola)

Guru Purnima, is a Hindu sacred day to the memory of the great sage Vyasa. All Hindus are indebted to this ancient saint who edited the four Vedas, wrote many other Hindu scriptures.

On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees perform a puja (worship) for their respective Guru.

Hindus attach paramount importance to spiritual gurus. Gurus are often equated with God and always regarded as a link between the individual and the Immortal. Just as the moon shines by reflecting the light of the sun, and glorifies it, all disciples can dazzle like the moon by gaining from their Gurus.

Guru Purnima was celebrated on Sunday 25^th July.

Hindola is a Hindu festival which refers to the decorative swings that are decorated with a vast variety of items such as cloth, food (fruit, dry fruit etc.) shells, sequins, coloured sand, beads, gold coins etc. In fact they can be decorated with anything provided it is decorative and colourful.

The festival finds its origin in the streets of Vrindavan over 5000 years ago where the Gopis (milkmaids) rocked Baby Krishna on a decorated swing. Ever since, to experience the divine joy of rocking Krishna in a small swing, the hindola festival became the focus of devotion.

The Swaminarayan Faith (Hindus) in Bolton  celebrate this month long festival by creating Hindolas (swings) that are over 15 feet tall. The decorative design themes are changed every week.

The Swaminarayan Temple on Deane Road will start their Hindola Festival on 27^th  July 2010.

Posted by:  Andy Morgan at 1615hrs 28/07/10