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Diwali Celebration in Leicester, England

Diwali in England

People following Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains communities all over the world celebrate the festival of Diwali. Indian People living in England celebrate the Diwali festival with great joy and excitement. Diwali celebration in Leicester, UK is the largest Diwali celebration by the Asian community living there. The first public Diwali was celebrated in Leicester in 1983. The residents of the oldest Asian community switched on the Diwali lights.

The annual Diwali celebration will be held on again this year, 2022 in Leicester, United Kingdom. Diwali lights will be switched on 9th October 2022. Get ready for celebrating the big Diwali festival on Monday 24th October 2022.

Why Diwali Festival is Celebrated?

Diwali is a festival of joy and light. It is one of the most significant festivals in Indian culture and Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains communities celebrate it. The festival falls between the months of October and November. The festival of Diwali comes with new blessings, the victory of good over evil. It is a festival of light over darkness, humanity over arrogance, cruelty, and cunningness.

People celebrate Diwali because on this day Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating the evil spirit Ravana. So people of Ayodhya become more cheerful by lighting rows of clay lamps. From the festival of Diwali, Hindu New Year starts. The business community considers it a very beneficial time to start new businesses and work.

Diwali festivals include religious activities, decoration of home and temple, and spending time with family and friends. It is the festival of feasting, gift exchanging with loved ones, and being social. Diwali celebration is of religious importance for the Asian people. It also has the capacity to spread the light in society.

How did the Celebration of Diwali was Started in Leicester?

Many Sikhs and Hindus from East Africa and India settled in Leicester during the years 1950 to 1960. At that time, new immigrants tried to uphold their traditions and religious beliefs by conducting most of their worship at home. They celebrated Diwali as a significant holiday and did their best to maintain the celebration.

In 1972, many Asians from Uganda came to Leicester and the population of the city increased. So they started taking part and playing their roles in the Diwali celebrations in Leicester.

As the population increased, many Asian stores opened bringing specialized goods from India to Leicester city to serve the people. The Asian population in Leicester can now get the components that they will need to make common Diwali dishes, and festivities will begin to feel more typical.

The establishment of Belgrave Neighbourhood Center is by Leicester City Council in 1977 and is located in a former Methodist church on Belgrave Road. It has a big impact on the city’s Diwali celebrations.

How Diwali is Celebrated in Leicester?

Diwali celebration in Leicester

The people will celebrate Diwali in London, Birmingham, Belfast, Edinburgh, Leicester, and other multicultural cities in England including firework displays, music, dancing, plays, and with many delicious foods and sweets. But the Diwali celebration in Leicester is a big event than in other cities in England.

People come from everywhere to Leicester for Diwali. Every year, the celebrations of Diwali usually attract up to thousands of people there. The celebration of this festival is a massive cultural event featuring amazing firework displays, thousands of ornamental lights along the city’s “Golden Mile,” lit homes, temples, gurdwaras, etc.

But it took many years to transform Leicester’s Diwali festivities from their beginnings to the grand occasions they are now. This celebration is the largest outside of India, and the lights along Leicester’s Golden Mile have typically turned on two weeks before Diwali day.

Diwali Celebration Comes to Life in Leicester

In the era of the 80s the community workers, residents, and council officers discussed the idea that they should décor Diwali lights. The first Diwali lights were displayed in 1983 and this has put the foundation of the celebration. People started the celebration along Belgrave Road and the oldest Asian community played a very important role in this.

The event which had formerly thought of as a small-town gathering has now grown into a significant festival. Thousands of people were entertained by fireworks displays, shows, and plays. Many local media started covering the Diwali nights with live broadcasts.

But as the year passes, the Diwali celebrations along Belgrave Road have marked a national reputation in the city. The City Council and other service workers, also involved in the event management. New visitors were creating challenges for the security agencies. But now the Road closure has kept well planned. More security personnel has added and new security plans have made for the event.

Leicester City, England

Leicester, England

Leicester is a city and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. The city is famous for its cultural diversity, world-class universities, and beauty. You can find many museums, galleries, and theatres with a wide range of Arts and cultural events.

There is a tomb of King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral. People can visit Mediaeval Park in the East Midlands countryside and they can see hundreds of deer roaming freely.

The National Space Centre, which has performed many exhibitions on the history of space, is also located in Leicester. The Leicester Museum and Art Gallery have hundreds of magnificent exhibits, and works of art for cultural and natural history exhibits. People can enjoy visiting Bradgate Park.

Conclusion

It is a very huge celebration in Leicester, so the planning of the celebration starts before many months of Diwali. Along Belgrave and Melton Roads, there are more than 6500 lights which makes it amazing. Before two weeks period, many separate events run across the city including music, dance, and shows which all end up with firework displays. The celebration now shows a stronger community, their strength for a festival which has now got a reputation in England.

Also Read:

Notting Hill Carnival, London

Guy Fawkes Day, UK

Camp Wildfire, Kent

Sneh Singh

Sneh Singh

Sneh Singh is a content writer with a passion for both reading books and writing about health and lifestyle-based information. He has a deep understanding of the latest health trends and he is knowledgeable about a variety of lifestyle topics. He uses this knowledge to craft engaging and informative content that provides real value to the readers. His style is approachable and he strives to make complex health and wellness information accessible to everyone. For more info, you can visit his linkedIn profile.

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