Modi Addresses 10,000 Kiwi Indians at Spark Arena; Sky Tower Glows in Indian Tricolour

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Auckland drew tens of thousands of supporters and produced two historic images: a packed Spark Arena where he spoke to more than ten thousand members of the Indian diaspora, and the city's landmark Sky Tower illuminated in the saffron, white, and green of the Indian national flag. Alongside these high-profile moments, Auckland's BAPS Swaminarayan community has sustained its tradition of Diwali and Annakut celebrations, underscoring the rich cultural life that New Zealand's Indian community maintains throughout the year.

Modi Reaches Out to Sikh Diaspora in Landmark Spark Arena Address

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the centerpiece community event of his Auckland visit to reach out specifically to New Zealand's Sikh diaspora, weaving references to Sikh history, spirituality, and sacrifice into an address that celebrated the broader Indian community in New Zealand. Speaking to more than ten thousand Kiwi Indians who gathered at Spark Arena for the event billed as Kia Ora Modi on Saturday, Modi referenced the teachings and legacy of the Sikh gurus, emphasizing themes of service, courage, and equality that he said continue to inspire people across generations and across the world.

A particular focus of Modi's Sikh-themed remarks was the Sahibzadas, the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh guru. These two children, both under the age of ten at the time of their deaths on December 26, 1704, refused under coercion to renounce their faith and were killed as a result. Their story is considered one of the most powerful examples of sacrifice and steadfastness in Sikh history. Modi noted that since 2022, India's government has marked this date each year as Veer Bal Diwas, or Brave Children's Day, in their honor. He described how this commemoration has grown into a moment of national inspiration, with children across India, from Kerala in the south to Assam in the northeast, learning about the Sahibzadas and drawing courage from their example.

Modi told the gathered crowd that Veer Bal Diwas had instilled unwavering courage in the hearts of countless children and youth across India, and that gurdwaras had become centers of service in every part of the world. He also noted how his government had worked to improve access to Sikh places of worship and to honor the sacred traditions of Sikhism. RNZ journalists present at the event observed that Sikh community members were among the attendees, though present in smaller numbers relative to the wider Indian diaspora crowd. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also attended the Spark Arena event alongside Modi. [2]

🪔 BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Celebrates Diwali and Annakut in Auckland

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha community in Auckland observed its Diwali and Annakut celebrations, marking the Hindu festival of lights with ceremonies, devotional gatherings, and the preparation and presentation of an elaborate food offering before the deities in keeping with Annakut tradition. The event reflects the continuing strength and cohesion of Auckland's Hindu community, which has established the BAPS Swaminarayan tradition as a visible and active part of New Zealand's South Asian cultural landscape.

BAPS, which stands for Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha, is a Hindu organization with a global reach, operating temples and cultural centers across many countries and maintaining a particular emphasis on spiritual development, ethical living, and service to the wider community. The Auckland chapter's Diwali celebrations follow the traditions practiced at BAPS centers worldwide, bringing together devotees for prayers, storytelling, communal worship, and the festive atmosphere that accompanies one of Hinduism's most beloved annual occasions.

Diwali, the festival of lights, carries deep symbolic meaning for Hindu communities around the world, representing the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Annakut, which translates loosely as a mountain of food, is a complementary celebration that follows Diwali and involves the preparation and offering of a vast array of food dishes to the divine, typically displayed in elaborate arrangements before the temple altar. The Auckland BAPS community's participation in these observances speaks to the vitality of the Swaminarayan tradition in New Zealand, where it has grown roots among the Indian diaspora and continues to offer a space for cultural and spiritual continuity for families living far from the Indian subcontinent. For many participants, the celebration is as much about community belonging as it is about religious observance. [6]

🎉 Auckland's Sky Tower Lit in Indian Tricolour for Modi's Historic New Zealand Visit

Auckland's iconic Sky Tower was illuminated in the colors of the Indian national flag, saffron, white, and green, to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to New Zealand, transforming the city's most recognizable landmark into a striking symbol of the occasion. The Sky Tower, which stands at the heart of Auckland's skyline and is among the tallest structures in the Southern Hemisphere, served as a vivid visual statement of welcome during what was widely described as a landmark moment in India-New Zealand relations.

Modi's visit to New Zealand was covered by DD India as a historic occasion, representing a significant development in the diplomatic ties between the two countries. The lighting of a city's signature landmark in the colors of a visiting nation's flag is a gesture typically reserved for visits of particular diplomatic or cultural significance, signaling that the host city and its leadership view the occasion as worthy of public recognition beyond formal government channels.

Auckland's decision to illuminate the Sky Tower in the Indian tricolour acknowledged both the importance of the India-New Zealand bilateral relationship and the scale of New Zealand's Indian diaspora community, which has grown considerably in recent years and plays an active role in the country's economic, civic, and cultural life. The Sky Tower has previously been lit in various colors to mark significant events and causes, and its use in this context placed Modi's New Zealand visit alongside other milestones that the city has chosen to celebrate in this distinctive way.

For the tens of thousands of Indian-origin New Zealanders who attended community events during Modi's visit or followed the trip closely from home, the sight of the Sky Tower glowing in saffron, white, and green carried a particular resonance, a visible and public acknowledgment of their community's presence and its deep connection to both New Zealand and India. [7]

Sources: [2] RNZ · [6] BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha · [7] DD India