Diwali, the traditional Hindu festival of lights, organised by the Indian British Group of Warrington was celebrated at Winwick Leisure centre yesterday.
A fantastic evening of celebration took place in front of special guests the Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Karen Mundry, MP.Faisal Rashid and Cllrs. Maureen McLaughlin and Hans Mundry,as an ensemble of children began the festivities by retelling the Hindu epic of Ramayana, where the good Rama defeated demon king Ravana’s army of evil.
Following the vibrant opening act came a host of various dance acts including an impressive depiction of the life of Mahatma Ghandi.
The Mayor of Warrington was called upon to present certificates to the many proud volunteers who had made the event such a success.
The guests were then treated to a wonderful meal and the evening was brought to a close with a traditional firework display and dancing.
Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Newar Buddhists and is a festival of lights, which is celebrated every Autumn in the northern hemisphere (spring in southern hemisphere). One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolises the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.”
During the celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly illuminated. The preparations, and rituals, for the festival typically last five days, with the climax occurring on the third day coinciding with the darkest night of the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, the festival generally falls between mid-October and mid-November.
