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UNITED KINGDOM, September 28, 2011 (Harrow Observer): Community leaders took part in a colorful Pothi Yatra procession through Wealdstone to mark the start of the nine-day long Hindu festival of Navaratri.

The crowd, accompanied by musicians, left the International Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Palmerston Road before passing through High Street and finishing at Harrow Leisure Centre in Christchurch Avenue with a number of speeches and religious recitals, known as katha, to worshippers in Byron Hall.

The Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Mrinal Choudhury, was swept along in the spiritual march as was borough commander Chief Superintendent Dal Babu, who sought to spread crime prevention advice to those celebrating Navratri.

Babu said: “Harrow is one of the UK’s most diverse boroughs, with one of the largest Hindu populations in the country. “Our ‘Safer Neighbourhoods Teams’ will be visiting all our temples and venues used to celebrate Navratri in order to spread crime prevention messages as wide as possible.