Nature has got a cheeky sense of humour, just as the sun set I joined the coastline scrum down to get photos of the climax to the Ceremony of Divine Light, and that’s exactly when the tide decided to race up the beach making our collective foot holds in the shingle pretty precarious.

The amazingly varied spectrum of cultures in Tenerife all add to making it such a special island. The Hindu Association of Tenerife South is one of the most outreaching of the groups and on Sunday they again issued an open invitation to one of their most important religious events. The Ceremony of Divine Light took place at Playa de la Enramada in La Caleta and followed a day of free yoga workshops at the El Galeon sports hall. Arriving on the mainly sandy beach, a large crowd was already gathered around the stage, some on chairs and some happily squatting down. Family groups mixed happily and many nationalities shared a sense of wonder and new understanding as the dancing and music began. The late glow of sunlight meant there were still plenty of sun worshippers and bathers taking a curious interest in proceedings.

I had been to the previous ceremony in may last year so knew a little of what to expect but still found it fascinating and uplifting. Revered spiritual leader Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji from Rishikesh in India looked on from a prime position below the stage sitting next to Mayor Fraga of Adeje. Using music and dance the story of Mother Ganga, the spirit of the river that brings life to India, unfolded with a morality tale of the pursuit of peace, love and happiness. The crowd of well over a thousand listened intently as down near the shoreline candles and lanterns were prepared for the departure of the sun. The on stage performances were given more prominence this year and the speeches that followed were shorter before the dignitaries crunched their way down to the sea.

As the candles flickered into life they were offered to many of the crowd to hold aloft and offer prayers for peace and harmony. It was a wonderful scene, a few struggled to hold their footing as the waves lapped at the sloping shingle shore and the gentle breeze added a shimmering quality to the dancing flames that illuminated the beach. It was a memorable end to a different slice of Tenerife life and will have added a new dimension to many peoples understanding of the Hindu faith.You can read more about the Hindu Association and its history at Tenerife Magazine.