Hindu wedding festival promotes marriage |28 October 2017

The Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Hindu Temple was teeming with devotees and interested onlookers during Wednesday night’s Holy Wedding Festival.

The wedding festival depicted a symbolic wedding ritual between Goddesses Sri Valli and Sri Devesana to Lord Murugan, the son of Shiva and Parvati.

Hindus from all over the country brought their various offerings in the form of multicolored fruits and flowers while music coming from drums and horns could be heard from a mile away.

In an interview with the Seychelles NATION, Veera Pandiyan Pillay, the chairman of the Seychelles Hindu Kovil Sangam, said the festival is an annual event on their calendar but this year it has been conducted for a very specific purpose.

“This is our cultural, religious ritual that we do every year. But this year’s symbolic wedding is also a strong message for the society to promote marriages and the value of marriages,” Mr Pillay revealed.

He emphasised that society in the Seychelles need to be built on stronger foundations in order to avoid problems such as broken families.

Children, he added, are often the victims of these broken and destitute families.

“All religions in the country have a role to play in demonstrating the value of marriage and family commitment,” he concluded.

The wedding ceremony was followed by a chariot procession and holy wedding dinner where everyone were invited to join the feast.