U.K. Newsquest Regional Press
LONDON, ENGLAND, May 23, 2003: This year’s Navaratri Festival may receive no funding because of council guidelines not to support events which have the primary purpose of promoting religion. The Sarvoday Hindu Association has sent the grant appeal back to the committee which rejected it in hopes of changing the decision. The contention was whether the event was primarily religious or not. More than 60 members of the Gujarati community argued it was a cultural event with people from all religions as well as nonreligious Gujaratis attending. They said the only religious part of the festival is a 15-minute prayer said each night which is as much a part of their culture as the dance, dress and food associated with the event. Navaratri is a nine-day festival associated with the worship of the Goddess in the form of the Universal Mother, but many younger residents spoke about the relative insignificance of the religion and the importance of the event socially and culturally with people from all walks of life attending. Speaking after Tuesday’s meeting, grants and awards chairman councilor Rolson Davies said, “I can understand and appreciate the argument being put forward by the representatives of the community as to why they felt it was a cultural event. The allocation of a grant depends on whether the panel decides the cultural element outweighs the religious element.” HPI adds: It is unfortunate that the Gujarati community made such a declaration, that one of the most holy festivals of Hinduism is a mere “cultural event.” Perhaps it has been reduced to such in England, but in India the religious aspect of it remains intact. If the city council were to have accepted their request, the council would also have to fund Christmas, which, with the decline of belief in Christianity, has become as much or more a social observance than a religious one.