Diwali is one of the biggest celebrations in the calendar for India, but also here in Leicester. 

It is a celebration of light for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and more, yet enjoyed by all due to the amount of happiness it brings to the community. 

Diwali celebrations started over 2,500 years ago, and is seen as the rise of good over evil. 

There are various different beliefs as part of the Diwali celebrations in India, and they tend to vary based on location. However, they all focus around Lord Vishnu, one of the Hindu gods. 

Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world, making it even more unique than it is still so strongly celebrated across the world. 

Diwali consists of five days of celebrations – with food, fireworks and families uniting together. Day three is seen as the pinnacle of the celebrations as it coincides with the last day of the dark fortnight of the lunar month. On this day temples are lit across the world with lights to represent the festival of light.  

The coming together of families across the globe is more notable than ever this year, after many Diwali celebrations were cancelled in 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic. 

Many families will be joining together in the coming days in Leicester too, where celebrations are the biggest outside of India. 

On October 24th 2021, the lights were switched on in Leicester, and they have been as popular as ever with people going out to have a look at them, despite warnings from the council to remain aware of the ongoing COVID situation.