Date:04/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/04/stories/2008120459020300.htm

Kerala

Candlelight vigil for terror victims

Staff Reporter

– Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

WE ARE WITH YOU: Foreign tourists participating in a candlelight vigil at Kovalam on Wednesday.

KOVALAM: ‘Om loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu’ (may all the beings in all the worlds become happy) chanted by a foreign tourist, Mara, reverberated the Light House beach on Wednesday evening as hundreds of tourists along with local people held a candlelight vigil to pay homage to the victims of the Mumbai terror attack.

Soon many foreign tourists followed Mara by chanting other hymns.

Although the organisers arranged candles, many were seen arriving with scented candles. Several foreign tourists who were on the beach were seemed surprised as only a word of mouth publicity was given to the event. They were seen rushing and participating in it by lighting the candles.

The idea of candlelight vigil came from Chiara Nath of Delhi who is holidaying at the beach resort. Soon, several foreign tourists and local hoteliers came forward pledging their support.

“We are children of planet earth and we are remembering and expressing solidarity with the victims of the terror attack,” she said.

Many like Paul Weston and his wife, Susan, who are visiting the beach resort for the 12th consecutive year, arrived much in advance to participate in the vigil.

“We had been part of the local life since we first came here to the beach resort. This is our home and we want to be involved at this juncture,’ Mr. Paul said.

The hoteliers in the resort led by G. Sudhiesh and P. Natrajan along with others were in attendance.

Later, those participating in the event created a circle out of the candles on the beach.