Diwali: what is the Hindu festival of lights, and how is it celebrated in Manchester?

Diwali, the festival of lights, is a very special time of year in the Hindu religious calendar.

The festival takes place over five days and is celebrated by millions of people around the world, including communities in Greater Manchester.

This year Diwali falls at the start of November, although as was the case last year some temples have had to ensure their arrangements are Covid-secure.

Manchester World has taken a look at what the festival is, why it is significant to Hindus and how people across Greater Manchester will be marking it.

What is Diwali?

Diwali celebrates the return of the Hindu god Lord Rama and his wife Sita to their home in northern India after 13 years of exile and the defeat in battle of the demon king Ravanna.

As he came home the people, who had been yearning for his rule, lit lamps or diwas, and this marks the start of the tradition of the festival of lights.

Lord Rama’s defeat of Ravanna, for Hindus, reflects the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

Although the celebrations spread over five days, two of the most significant days are Diwali, which falls on 4 November this year, and Annakut, or the Hindu New Year, which happens the day after.

As the new year celebration, it is a time for Hindus to renew their faith and reflects on both the year that has just gone and the one coming up.

How is it celebrated?

During Diwali people will put out diwa lamps and also make traditional decorations called rangolis.

Houses will be swept clean for the festival and increasingly people take a few days off work and return home so extended families can mark Diwali together.

Offerings of food will be made at temples, particularly for Annakut, which literally means “mountain of food” and in India celebrates the gathering in of the harvest crops at the end of the monsoon season.

It is a deeply spiritual time of year, with religious vows being renewed and faith strengthened.

It is also traditionally when businesses put their account books in order to mark the end of the old year. Ledgers will then be taken to the temple for chopda pujan, when they will be blessed, thanks will be given for the previous year and prayers said for a fruitful new year.

Students also participate in chopda pujan, taking their books and increasingly modern studying devices such as laptops to be blessed.

On a personal level, too, Diwali and Annakut is an opportunity to think about life and take stock.

Manni Dhokia, a volunteer at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Ashton-under-Lyne, said: “In Hinduism everything comes back to religious ritual and prayer.

“One of our scriptures talks about using the new year as a new start, seeing what has gone well and what we could improve. As individuals we should be reflecting on what we have done right and what we could do better, and think about if we need to build bridges.

“It means a lot of different things to different people but we celebrate the story of Lord Rama and his defeat of Ravanna, lots of special types of food are made and offered and families come together.”

How is Diwali being celebrated in Greater Manchester this year?

Unfortunately rising Covid-19 rates have been causing some concerns ahead of what is one of the biggest and most important festivals for Hindu communities across Greater Manchester.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is one which has been forced into making alternative plans and offering a coronavirus-secure, scaled-down programme.

Although the rituals and prayers will be performed in the temple, the mass social gatherings over Diwali will not be taking place.

Neasden Temple in London is helping out by putting on by broadcasting a number of events, ceremonies and assemblies throughout the festival which people will be able to watch online.

Mr Dhokia said: “I wasn’t sure about this last year but it was really nice. You are guided through the ceremony and we did it as a family. It still had that buzz about it, that real feeling of a special, holy ceremony.”

Greater Manchester Diwali is also going digital and has put together an extensive programme of free online activities to help people mark the festival.

The programme includes Cast the Light, an ambitious piece of storytelling created by Walk The Plank in association with four organisations from different boroughs in Greater Manchester.

There will be lantern processions taking place in Tameside, Bolton, Bury and Oldham and the screening of four short films about the lives of women who played a key role in shaping the Ramayana, the epic which tells of Lord Rama’s battle with Ravanna.

On Sunday 6 November there will also be an array of music and dance performances to enjoy, with examples of various folk, popular and classical traditions from across India.

Other events are being arranged by events venues, restaurants and community associations across Greater Manchester.

A very special Diwali for a new temple

Despite Covid-19 restricting the programme of events this will nevertheless be a very special Diwali for BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.

That is because it will be the first major festival to be celebrated in its new temple, which was officially opened on Sunday 17 October.

The Lees Road place of worship opened the doors after almost seven years of work by hundreds of volunteers.

The purpose-built mandir (Hindu temple) was opened with a special ceremony performed by senior swamis or monks, devotional offerings and prayers for peace, harmony, well-being and righteous prosperity.

The community also hopes the temple will become a hub of children’s, youth, educational, healthcare and other charitable activities.

Rajesh Desai, the temple’s lead volunteer, said: “The mandir will play an important role in our society and serve people of all ages, faiths and backgrounds.

“The local community is at the heart of what we do and it’s been truly humbling to witness the tremendous support from our friends across Manchester and further afield.”