The Annakut festival is one of the important Hindu festivals. It occurs a day after the Hindu festival of lights called Diwali, which lasts for five consecutive days – each day with a significance derived from various episodes of Hindu legends. Depending on the region of India, these legends will vary. However, the essence behind each story is the abolishment and conquering of evil and darkness, replaced by the goodness and light.
The Annakut festival essentially culminates the Diwali celebrations and marks the first day of the New Year for Hindus.
In agrarian India, the new crop that had been planted after the monsoon season would have grown, and would now be ready. This crop is harvested and first offered to the Lord on the first day of the year. This is the origin of ‘‘Annakut Utsav”, which is translated as “mountain of food festival”. ‘Ann’ literally means food (grain), ‘kut’ translates as mountain, and ‘utsav’ as festival. Hence a vast amount of variety of different foods is placed before the Lord.
At both the Hindu Temples in Luton, this festival is celebrated in a grand manner with great vigor and enthusiasm.
Mr Rajesh Pancholi at BAPS Swami Narayan Hindu Temple on Crescent Road said, “This auspicious day is filled with happiness and joy. It is said that he who remains joyous on this first day will also remain so for the rest of the year. For priests and disciples, the sentiments can be slightly different. They would spend the day at the Mandir (temple), take part in the ‘kirtans’ (devotional singing), and perform other devotional practices. That way, the rest of the year would also be filled with the same divinity for them.”
Mr Kanti Lad, President at Shree Sanatan Sewa Samaj Mandir (Temple) in Lewsey Farm pointed out that traditionally the entire business community would begin its new accounts by opening new books on this day.
Lauding the congregation & committee members for their efforts to arrange, not just hundreds of food items all prepared carefully, but also feeding hundreds of people in the evening, he said, “Amidst chanting of hymns, blowing of conches and beating of drums, the community celebrated the annual ‘Annakut Utsav'. A lot of care and attention was paid by devotees in preparing the sumptuous dishes, both sweet and savoury.”
Mr Yogesh Mistry, Secretary at the Hindu Temple in Lewsey Farm and also a Trustee of Luton Council of Faiths, said, “The most enjoyable and rewarding part of Annakut festival is the sharig of foods together with one another regardless of religion, colour, age, gender or social status. The concept of charity and sharing meals has been known in eastern cultures for over 2000 years. We therefore continue to support Luton Food Bank and other appeals helping the needy.”
May the New Year bring health, wealth and happiness to all. May the dignity of every human being and that of the creation, is preserved in the coming year.
At BAPS Swami Narayan Hindu Temple Luton, the vast array of elaborate dishes presented for God’s blessings.
