SCARBOROUGH, CANADA, July 30, 2006: Sri Varasiththti Vinayagar Temple’s annual chariot festival culminated July 22 at the Ontario temple. The festivities are part of the temple’s annual chariot festival which began July 9. Hundreds of Hindus packed the temple and its grounds to capacity. Jeya Thiyaga, who works at the temple, said the festival has grown with the city’s booming Tamil population. He said many of the devotees are Sri Lankan Tamils eager to celebrate the rituals of their homeland in their new country. Fifteen year-old Shaumya Vijayakumarakurukkal has come to this festival since she was a child and she said it’s a way for young people like herself to stay connected with their culture. “A lot of kids don’t know much about their religion or culture,” she said. “They learn by watching this.” Her biggest prayer at this year’s chariot festival is for the violence to stop in her homeland, Sri Lanka. “I came here to pray for peace in my country.”
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