By Taiye Olayemi
Lagos: Indians in Lagos State have celebrated the ancient Dussehra Festival, which symbolises the victory of good over evil and the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya.
Sanjay Srivastava, President, Overseas Friends of Bhartiya Janata Party (OFBJP), in a statement said the festival was a celebration of the goddess Durga’s victory over demons.
According to Srivastava, the event organised by OFBJP Nigeria had over 1000 Indians participating in the festivity on Tuesday.
He said the celebration did not only showcase Indians’ rich cultural heritage but also conveyed a powerful message about the importance of practicing cultural values and leaving a lasting impression on the younger generation.
Srivastava highlighted the commendable efforts of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s Government in extending its outreach to the Non-Resident-Indian (NRI) community.
He underscored the government’s dedication to restoring the spiritual glory of Bharat.
“As the festivities of Dussehra fade away, the OFBJP Nigeria extends warm greetings for the upcoming festival of lights, Diwali, to the Indian diaspora and the host community.
“May the light of Diwali bring happiness, prosperity and vanquish the devils from everyone’s lives.
“We appreciate the Geeta Ashram Trust Nigeria as they have proven to be perfect hosts, providing an ideal venue for this cultural extravaganza,” he said.
L-R : Sanjay Srivastava, President OFBJP Nigeria; Chandramauli Kern, Consular General of India, Lagos; Shri N Mahesh, Head of Chancery, O/o CGI; Shri Dhirendra Chouhan, Vice President, OFBJP NG; and Pravin Kumar, General Secretary, OFBJP NG.
Amb. Chandramauli Kern, the Consulate General of India in Lagos addressed the audience and ceremoniously burnt the effigy of Ravana, while also commending the organisers of the festival.
Also, Mr Pravin Kumar, General Secretary of OFBJP, expressed heartfelt gratitude to all participants, parents, choreographers and sponsors, including Speciality, Daraju Group, Deekay and Omnic groups, Green Fuel, MM Tours, GBMT, Enjoy Food, Nature and Pepsi.
He emphasised the invaluable contributions of these supporters in making the event a grand success.
The highlight of the evening was the energetic stage performances by children, captivating the audience and beautifully preserving the rich tapestry of Bhartiya culture for the generations to come.
The event was coordinated by a dedicated team, including Mr Pravin Kumar, Mr Vipin Singh, Mr Dheerendra Chaouhan, Mr Shanti Bhushan, Mr Sabir Ali, Mr Vikas Arya, Mrs Raakhi Bilanadani, Mrs Supriya Sinha and Mrs Jyoti Nautiyal.
Other members of the team are Mrs Palna Pareekh, Mrs Ritu Tyagi, Mr Najam Jaidi and Mr Sanjay Jha, alongside many other esteemed EXCOM members. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng /Flowerbudnews
