Diwali 2021: How is it being celebrated in Bristol?

Diwali is one of the landmark annual events in the Hindu, Sikh and Jain calendars.

The five-day festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil is taking place this week, with the most important day of the festival falling on Thursday.

The festival originated in India and is celebrated for different reasons by different religions. For Hindus, Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama (an incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu), his wife, Sita, and his brother, Lakshman, to the Kingdom of Ayodhya following a 14-year exile.

To welcome them home, the streets and towns were lit up with diyas (candles) and so Hindus similarly light diyas in their home to commemorate the return of Rama.

Sikhs particularly celebrate the release of Guru Hargobind Singh from prison in 1619 on Diwali, a prime example of a time in Sikh history when light conquered darkness.

And for Jains, Diwali marks the moment when their founder, Lord Mahavira reached moksha (eternal bliss).

In Bristol, there will be a vast range of events celebrating the festival of lights. Photo: UWE Indian Society

Diwali celebrations in UK cities are some of the largest outside of India and here in Bristol, members of the local South Asian community have been putting on a range of events to celebrate.

The Bristol Hindu Temple started marking the occasion by hosting an event last Friday for school children from local schools in the area. At the event, there was dancing, bhangra music, and children were able to make lanterns and wear glowsticks.

This week, the temple’s usual celebrations will be scaled down due to increasing Covid-19 cases, but the temple will open as usual on Thursday from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and there will be an aarti (a ritual that expresses one’s love and gratitude to God through song and the offering of a candle) at 7.30pm.

On Friday (Hindu New Year), the temple will be open from 11am to 2pm and on Friday evening, there will be a small celebration of the New Year at the temple, capped at around 40-50 people.

As well as celebrating Diwali within the temple, some volunteers are commemorating the festival by helping the local community. Volunteers at Bristol Hindu Temple are organising a charity drive for the Help Bristol’s Homeless project in Bedminster. They are asking the Hindu community to donate non-perishable food items and toiletries.

Diwali is all about dance, music, and light. Photo: Bristol Bollywood Dance Society

There is also a range of different events being organised by Bristol’s student community to celebrate the festival of lights.

The Global Lounge at the University of Bristol is hosting an event on Thursday from 4pm to 6pm in collaboration with Bristol SU’s Indian Society. At the event, students can make Diwali crafts, get DIY henna tattoos, enjoy free traditional snacks and a performance by the Bristol Bollywood Dance Society.

On Friday, the Bristol UWE Indian Society is hosting a Diwali Night. The sold-out event will include a three-course meal, performances, sparklers, games, and live music.

There will also be a fireworks night on Friday celebrating Diwali and bonfire night jointly organised by the University of Bristol’s Hindu Society and Chaos – the university’s physics society.

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The party doesn’t end this week either. Next week, Bollynights are hosting a Diwali Fest club night at Pryzm.

And extending celebrations well into the month, the University of Bristol’s Hindu Society will be hosting their Diwali Ball at the Mercure Bristol Holland House on November 20. More information about how to get tickets for this can be found here.

Main image courtesy of UWE Indian Society

Read more: 10 things to do in Bristol this week, November 1-7 2021

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