Australian PM Albanese Celebrates Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas at Temple and Gurdwara

Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday visited a temple and a gurdwara to celebrate the festivals of Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas. He posted photos on X wearing an orange turban during his visit to a gurdwara in Glenwood, a suburb of Sydney. Albanese also inaugurated the newly expanded kitchen at the gurdwara.

“Happy Bandi Chhor Divas! Wonderful to celebrate at Gurdwara Sahib Glenwood today and open the newly expanded kitchen, serving thousands of people every week,” Albanese posted on X.

The photos featured the Australian Prime Minister smiling while posing with community members and taking a selfie with devotees.

Albanese visited Sydney’s Murugan Temple where he celebrated Diwali with the Tamil Australian community.

“Deepavali celebrates the victory of light over darkness. Fantastic to join with the Tamil Australian community at the Sydney Murugan Temple today. The temple draws in people from all walks of life every day, and has become a sanctuary for Western Sydney's South Asian Hindu community,” Albanese posted on X.

Earlier, the Australian prime minister wished “a happy Festival of Lights to all those celebrating over the coming days”.

“This annual festival of joy, hope and togetherness is an extraordinarily beautiful celebration of faith and culture - one embraced by Australia's diverse and vibrant society,” he wrote in a press release shared on X.

“With its celebration of the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance, it affirms the ideals that inspire Australians from all walks of life. The rituals and traditions of Diwali are in every way an expression of community, culture and heritage. It's a moment to enjoy the company of loved ones, and to reflect on the shared inheritance of centuries of tradition,” Albanese said.