Celebrating Diwali in Sutton

Diwali, the festival of lights, represents the triumph of good over evil. The festival of lights is a religious observance commemorated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists around the world.

Every autumn, the festival of lights sees millions of people attend firework displays, prayer services and festive events in celebration of the occasion.

While Diwali holds significance for a variety of reasons, one of the core themes of the festival, as symbolised by the prevalence of lights, is the triumph of good over evil.

When is the festival?

This year, Diwali begins on Thursday 4 November on the Gregorian calendar. The festival typically lasts for four to five days and coincides with the new moon on the Hindu calendar, called amavasya.

Diwali is preceded by Navaratri, another Hindu festival that is observed every autumn over the course of nine nights. This year, Navaratri ran from 7 October to 15 October. 

How is it celebrated?

As Diwali is a celebration of light triumphing over darkness, those who observe the festival typically decorate their homes with a plethora of lights. People will also routinely clean their homes in preparation for Diwali.

Sutton Council’s Cultural Services marked the occasion with an event that showcased the festival and its celebrations to a wide audience. Attendees interacted with several cultural activities; families had the chance to learn how to Bollywood dance, get henna tattoos, dress up in a sari, and several crafts for children.

Councillor Ruth Dombey, Leader of Sutton Council said:

“We are proud of the cultural richness of our local community and want to celebrate with our many residents who will be marking Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas today and during the week ahead. I was lucky enough to attend last week’s Festival of Lights celebrations at Sutton Central Library and hear from our community on the importance of this time. The triumph of good over evil is an important lesson for us all to remember and whether you are celebrating physically, virtually, or on your own - I want to wish you all happiness, prosperity and joy to you and all your family."

To read more on how people will be celebrating locally, read Ria’s story.  Or check out the wonderful photos from last Sunday’s celebrations at Sutton Central Library.

Please see some images from the event below.