Blog
The UK Hindu Cultural Association (UKHCA) celebrated the annual Kali Puja and Diwali festival on 19th October, 2025 at the Alexandra Suite, Swanley. Every year, Kali puja and Diwali provide our volunteers and attendees the perfect occasion to regroup and spontaneously celebrate after Durga Puja. As always, our celebrations were marked with gaiety and devotion and our puja was conducted with adherence to all pious traditions including the lighting of 108 lights signifying the victory of good over evil. This time we were fortunate enough to have the Mayor and Mayoress of Dartford – Councillor Peter Whapshott and Mrs Norma Whapshott, celebrate with us. UKHCA as an organisation has always tried to provide a platform for creating awareness about Hindu festivals and the peace loving Indian/South Asian community in the UK, especially south east London and Kent and this year too we tried the same with welcoming one and all to our puja.
Like always, we tried to support our local businesses and our stalls were a big hit with everyone! However, we saved the best for the last in the form of our blockbuster meal of ‘pulao, mangsho, beguni, mishti’ (with options provided for vegetarians).
All thanks to our volunteers for meticulously planning and executing everything – from pre-pujo planning, publicity, on the day set up, conducting puja, managing front desk and stalls, food serving and pack up – we all worked as a team while cheering for each other. As winter sets in gradually and we look forward to the next year of festivities, we wish all our visitors good health and happiness. Kalipujor subhechcha and a Happy Diwali 🪔
