THOUSANDS filled Rugby town centre with light to celebrate Diwali on Sunday (October 27).
A free town centre community event marked the occasion – also known as the Festival of Lights – for the second time, following a successful debut last year.
Organised by Rugby Indian Communities with support from Rugby First and Rugby Borough Council, the event included music, dance, food, stalls, festive lighting, family entertainment and a lantern parade.
Diwali is the five-day Festival of Lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world.
It is a festival of new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness, and for some also coincides with harvest and new year celebrations.
The festival always falls sometime between October and November, but the exact date varies each year as the Hindu calendar is based on the moon.
Coun Ish Mistry, who is one of the organisers of the event and Deputy Leader of Rugby Borough Council, said: “Diwali is a very important annual celebration for the Indian community, and it was fantastic to see so many people come into the town centre to be part of the celebrations.
“The dancing, singing, drumming, food, lights and colourful procession, with Rangoli chariot and boards, provided a fantastic atmosphere and amazing spectacle, and the lights looked brilliant when they were turned on.
“So many people contributed to the success of the event but I would like to say a special thank you to the Indian Communities, Rugby First, Rugby Borough Council and all those volunteers for their incredible support and in making the event the success it was.”
Linda Lowne, Rugby First Business Director, said: “We are absolutely delighted at how well the event went, and it was great to see the town centre buzzing with so many people enjoying themselves.
“I was also really pleased to see several town centre businesses get involved and would like to thank them along with the organisers, volunteers and Rugby Borough Council for their hard work and enthusiasm in putting on such a great event.”
Visit www.rugbyfirst.org or www.therugbytown.co.uk for more information about other town centre events, including the Rugby Town Centre Christmas Lights Switch-On.
Pictures by Rugby Borough Council.
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source link
