[Group portrait of Pandit Sharad Chandra Shastri and unidentified individuals holding flowers at a Diwali celebration put on by the Hindu Cultural Society and Community Centre of B.C. in Burnaby]

Group portrait of Pandit Sharad Chandra Shastri and unidentified individuals holding flowers at a Diwali celebration put on by the Hindu Cultural Society and Community Centre of B.C. in Burnaby, B.C.

Pandit Sharad Chandra Shastri was the Priest of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), at least during the 2000-2012 period.

Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is a major religious festival celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs, and translates to "the Festival of Lights." The festival lasts five days: the first day is known as Dhanteras; followed by Choti Diwali; Lakshmi pooja, which is the main celebration; Govardhan pooja; and finally Bhai Dooj. The festival is typically marked by the cleaning and decorating of homes, as well as the lighting of diyas and rangoli designs. Each region in India and religion has their own manner of celebrating Deepavali and their own gods to be worshipped.

Officially registered as the Hindu Cultural Society and Community Centre of B.C., the Hindu Temple of Burnaby, previously known as Vishva Hindu Parishad temple, stands as one of Canada's oldest and largest Hindu temples. It was founded on May 15, 1972 as a small prayer hall in North Burnaby, dedicated to preserving and promoting Hindu culture and traditions.