Diwali in Britain

The Indians are the second largest ethnic minority in Britain. To get rid of the feeling of missing their homeland, especially during festival times, the Indians here celebrate most of the festivals. In Britain, as in India, the Diwali festival is a time for thoroughly spring-cleaning the home and for wearing new clothes and most importantly, decorating buildings with fancy lights. The British city of Leicester is noted for its Diwali Festival celebrations

The occasion of Diwali is marked by visit to the local temple to worship the shrine of goddess Lakshmi. The festival here is celebrated according to the Hindu solar calendar, in one of the cold, damp and windy months in Britain. But still the enthusiasm of the festival celebration makes the task of leaving small lamps on windowsills or by open doorways possible ignoring the chill. The Lamps and Diyas play their part in maintaining the atmosphere of Diwali in the home.