Leicester Lights Switch-on

A very fun fact about Leicester is that it hosts one of the largest Diwali celebrations outside of India. We were excited that we moved in in time to participate!

For those of you who may not be familiar, Diwali is a festival of lights that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. You can learn a bit more about it at the links below: Diwali, India’s festival of light: When, why and how it is celebrated

Diwali: What is it?

In Leicester, the celebration was very lively. Like many festivals, Diwali is characterized by lively music, delicious cuisine, beautiful art and many, many people.

I started off by grabbing a Dhosa, a flatbread cooked kind of like a crepe and typical of South India. The one I tried was filled with a mixture of potato and onion, and served with coconut chutney and a curry sauce. I was so hungry and excited to try it I forgot to take a photo until I was a few bites in!

The local community center had many impressive Rangoli on display to admire. Rangoli patterns are bright designs often made around Diwali with materials such as sand or flower petals.

The centerpiece was a Rangoli representing the late Queen, completed by a renowned local artist.

As I was leaving the community center, the main celebration of the night began as the lights switched on!

Fireworks started shortly after everything lit up, and the focus shifted toward the main stage where the singing and dancing continued.

For context, this was how the street looked before the Diwali lights were turned on. You can tell that the event is very popular, the streets were full of people there to celebrate.

I followed the focus back toward the stage and stepped into the nearby temple. My timing was quite serendipitous, just after I entered a ceremony began. I'm not sure what the purpose or meaning was exactly, but I'm glad I was able to participate. The temple was brightly colored and lit with many candles and other lights. There was singing, music, and chanting, and the different gods and altars were honored. Everyone in the temple received blessings from the priest, which was very energizing.

Afterward, they passed around a mixture of dried fruits, nuts and sugar. In trying to learn more about the significance, I discovered that those foods are usually shared to symbolize warmth and compassion since those foods literally provide warmth to your body. The experience as a whole was brilliant and beautiful, but unfortunately I didn't take any photos to share since I wanted to focus on being present in the moment.

Leaving the temple, the celebration was still very lively but starting to come to a close. I grabbed some chilli paneer with noodles and sugar cane juice, both of which were delicious! The latter reminded me of a similar beverage, aguapanela, which I frequently enjoyed in Colombia.

All in all, the lights switch-on celebration was fantastic! I left with a full heart and a full belly, and I'm looking forward to the upcoming Diwali Day celebration as well.