Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has participated in the Diwali festivities in his native Southampton.
Joined by his family, he attended the Aarti ceremony on Sunday evening at the Vedic Society Hindu Temple on Radcliffe Road in the city.
The prime minister was raised in Southampton, where his mother owned her own pharmacy and his father practiced general practice.
The first Indian-British prime minister, Mr. Sunak, grew up attending the same Hindu temple.
At the Aarti ceremony, the prime minister, his wife Akshata Murty, their two daughters, and his parents lit candles and said prayers with the worshippers.
Addressing the crowd, Mr Sunak said it was “wonderful to be back home in Southampton”.
“I have so many happy memories of my time here as a kid,” he said. “This was the place the values my parents raised me with were reinforced – the importance of family, faith and service, education and hard work.
“Looking around, I’m inspired there is a whole new generation raised with those same values.”
Hindus from Dorset and the Isle of Wight were among the attendees of the Southampton event, as there aren’t many Hindu temples in the southern part of England.
Sarika Chandarana, one of those who attended the celebrations, said: “He was part of our Sunday classes of children coming up learning about Hindu culture and all the different gods and prayers.
“For us, he’s like our family and we’re really excited to see him today.”
The Sunaks had previously celebrated Diwali by setting diya candles on Downing Street’s doorstep.
Known as the festival of lights, the five days of Diwali mark the beginning of new beginnings for millions of followers of the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain faiths as well as the victory of light over darkness.
Homes are illuminated by Diyas candlelight, and houses are warded off evil spirits with fireworks.
Another way that people celebrate Diwali is by creating artistic displays called rangoli with sand and petals.
In 1980, Mr. Sunak was born in Southampton to Indian immigrants who had left East Africa.
