Hindu tradition is calling itself the center of London this week with the start of the popular Hindu festival of Diwali on Thursday, November 4th. Lights and decorations illuminate the British capital.
The Sanskrit word “Deepavali” can be translated as “Deepavali”, which means “Array of Lights”, which is the festival of lights and the Hindu New Year. It is celebrated by nearly 900 million Hindus around the world and is a real event in the United Kingdom, where the Hindu community represents 5% of the population, according to the latest census. Southhall, the entire district of London, nicknamed Little India because of its large number of Indian restaurants and shops, and the Sri Guru Singh Sabah Gurudwara, the largest Sikh temple in Europe.
What is Deepavali?
In Hinduism, Deepavali commemorates the return of King Rama to Ayodhya, thus “the victory of light over darkness”. Then the people, according to legend, lit lanterns and candles in the streets where the king passed. On the occasion of this festival, Hindus give presents to each other and explode firecrackers.
The celebration is based on the lunar calendar used in northern India and lasts for five days, with no fixed dates. This year starts on November 4th. The most important day is the third “Great Deepavali” dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, which marks the last day of the Hindu calendar year “Vikram”. In India, this day is a public holiday, and this holiday is celebrated by the Sikh and Jain communities, as well as the majority of Hindus in Nepal, or Hindu communities in Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius and large parts of South and South Africa.
Celebrate Diwali in London
In London, we face the November cold to keep small lights on windows or doorsteps. The festival is celebrated every year in Troublecare Square. After being canceled last year due to an epidemic, food stalls, traditional dance performances and floating candles returned to London’s iconic plaza on October 23rd.
If you miss this event, do not panic, you can celebrate Diwali or immerse yourself in its atmosphere from Thursday and see the beautifully decorated Hindu temples and fireworks in Byron Park on November 6th. You can watch the dance show and get the henna tattoo.
