The Festival of Daylight

Schahrazade Halfaoui dives into a daytime Diwali.

The ancient Hindu festival of Diwali – or the Festival of Lights – signifies the victory of light over darkness. So why was this year’s Diwali on Trafalgar Square (the organisers call it DOTS for short) being held in broad daylight? The root of the word Diwali even translates as ‘rows of lighted lamps’ – so where were they all?

DOTS is supported by the Mayor of London, and on the Greater London Authority website it says that instead of victory over darkness this year’s event was focused on celebrating ‘valour, unity and sacrifice in pursuit of peace and freedom,’ with particular emphasis on the part ‘the Indian sub-continent played in World War 1.’

Although the large crowd looked mainly Asian, this year’s DOTS attracted all sorts of other people too, drawn by the traditional music and dance on the stage – and the colour!

Within Hindu symbolism, every colour has a meaning, and many are associated with deities. Red for example is the colour worn by the Goddess Durga, to symbolise her victory over evil.

This importance of colour was evident from the clothes of the young girls in particular who wore dazzling saris and dresses. Even the food seemed to burst with tints and shades that made me want to try it.

Although DOTS is the most high profile Diwali event in the capital, later on the day I went to Trafalgar Square, lamps will have been lit in all of London’s Hindu Temples. Wikipedia lists 48 of them, 10 in East London.

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