Kartik Sud 1, also known as Nootan Varsh, is the first year of the New Year. We've learned from Jeevanpran Swamibapa that the real goal of the Diwali season is to assess how well we've conquered these "internal foes" in order to become better persons in the future year. With this in mind, the Hindu New Year is a time to look forward with hope as well as to meet in Temple to reestablish ties with friends, family, and God.

During the Diwali season, Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Ocala, Florida, welcomed members of our congregation as well as friends, neighbors, and members of the larger community. The Grand Annakut was an elaborate and sophisticated arrangement of magnificent displays of adornment and hundreds of food dishes that the disciples had laboriously created. A great mountain of food in many forms is presented to the Lord in a lovely manner since the word "an" literally means food (grain). Kut also translates as "mountain."

With an Aarti performed every half-hour, Kirtan-Bhakti, Utsav, Ashirwad, Prasad, and Fireworks, the temple was open all day so that everyone in the community could join in the celebrations for the new year. Numerous visitors came throughout the day to observe the spellbinding array of dishes offered before the Lord in the Grand Annakut and to accept the Divine Blessings of Lord Shree Swaminarayan on this auspicious occasion.