AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, October 31, 2005: Thousands thronged Auckland’s Aotea Square as the city put its best hennaed foot forward for the Hindu festival of lights yesterday. But a shadow fell over Diwali celebrations, after a series of explosions in the Indian capital, New Delhi, left more than 50 people dead. Many of the victims were women and children, out shopping for Diwali and Eid al-Fitr festivities marking the holy month of Ramadan’s end.
At the square yesterday, the big bhangra beats of Bollywood boomed as people milled under the sun, enjoying offerings of Indian breads, sweets and savories. Many – including Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard – sported bindis on their foreheads, and women wearing colorful saris stood out. Inside Aotea Centre, stalls sold everything from shawls to incense, while a steady stream of people attended Indian dance workshops.
Prime Minister Helen Clark has condemned the New Delhi attacks, and said she was sending a letter of condolence to India’s Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh.