The last day of the Hindu year is considered to be one of the most auspicious and is celebrated with Diwali – the ‘Festival of Lights’. Today, business owners open new books as their existing accounts are closed during the Lakshmi Pujan – Chopda Pujan – ceremony. This year’s festival was traditionally celebrated on Tuesday 1st November 2005 as devotees and visitors streamed into the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Neasden from early morning for darshan.

The images in the Mandir shrines were beautifully adorned with rich clothes and ornaments. Following the evening arti at 7.00pm, devotees and well-wishers gathered in the Haveli for the Chopda Poojan ceremony, which commenced at 7.40pm. Hundreds of new account books were sanctified through the showering of flowers petals and rice grains, amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns and prayers to Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Param Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj.