Diwali in U.K.

An Indian

'An Indian Christmas': How Diwali in the UK has become a secular symbol of diversity by Hasan Suroor A A

London: In my local Sainsbury's store in Kensington, central London, there's a rather neglected aisle, lazily stacked with assorted packets of Bombay Mix,namkeen, Marie biscuits, rusks andpapadoms. Occasionally, a bored customer stops by, looks around and moves on. But come Diwali, the scene brightens up: A bright red floral Diwali sign painted in Devanagari-style script goes up, decorative paper streamers make an appearance, and shelves get packed with brightly-coloured boxes of Indian sweets, firecrackers, strips of festive lights, candles and earthen diyas. Suddenly it's all bright and busy. Once, I heard a little English girl ask her mother, "What's D-I-W-A-L-I, mom?" The mom explained that it was "like an Indian Christmas". Some might accuse me of picking a wrong place to convey the true sense of Diwali spirit in Britain: A very British store in a predominantly white London borough. But I've done it advisedly: To make the point that even in a place like Kensington Diwali doesn't go unnoticed, even if for purely commercial reasons. Diwali is big in Britain. No other European country celebrates it on quite the same scale as Britain does. One reason, of course, is that Britain has the largest Indian diaspora in all of Europe. But also because it is truly more multicultural than its Continental neighbours with the exception of Germany, perhaps. A far cry from the notion of "Little England” that still survives in some outsiders' imagination. I can't think of any other non-Christian festival that the UK celebrates with the same gusto and community-level participation as Diwali. Essentially, it remains very much an Indian and Hindu festival, but in a unique way it has become a symbol of modern Britain's cultural diversity in the same way that black culture once was. Under Tony Blair's New Labour, Diwali celebrations got a massive boost and came to encapsulate the spirit of the 1990s "Cool Britannia" spawning officially-sponsored Bollywood- style Diwali events across Britain. Cherie Blair famously wore a chic saree to a star-studded Diwali party hosted by a high-profile Indian businessman. A photograph that is still dug out from time to time to illustrate the warmth of Indo-British cultural relations. Blair also introduced the practice of hosting a Diwali party at Downing Street. Which David Cameron has continued. London Mayor Boris Johnson, whose wife Marina is of Indian origin, is another great Diwali enthusiast. "Diwali on Trafalgar Square", which attracts hundreds of tourists from across the world, has over the years established itself as the biggest outdoor multicultural event in Europe. The "go-to" place for a taste of Indian street food and music. And, of course, fireworks. Celebrations have already begun in many places across the country. In Leicester, the so-called "Little India”, these kicked off last Sunday with the customary "switching on" of some 6,000 Diwali lights. Thousands gathered in the city centre to witness the ceremony - a regular highlight of Diwali festivities since first introduced by the local council in 1983, and claimed to be the largest Diwali event outside India. "Diwali is always a fantastic time in Leicester, but this year it will be bigger and brighter than ever,'' said Piara Singh-Clair, assistant City Mayor for Culture, Leisure and Sport. For the first time this year, Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, is celebrating Diwali as a public event promising a riot of "festive fun, Indian and Scottish music and drinks”. In Belfast, capital of Northern Ireland, Diwali celebrations come as a refreshing break with the city's simmering Catholic-Protestant sectarian tensions. For one evening, the entire Belfast joins the Indian community to enjoy the Diwali delights as the city is lit up and entertainers take to the streets. David Monteith, a leading priest and Dean of Leicester, said: "Light is a common symbol of all our religions and a big part of this festival is the triumph of light over darkness." The secret of Diwali's popularity is that much like Christmas it is seen not so much as a religious affair as a secular celebration of Indian culture - its food, music, dance, theatre. Muslim and Jewish festivals, on the other hand, retain a strong religious flavour and have, therefore, remained rather closed affairs restricted mainly to their own communities. A proof, if any were needed, that ultimately secularisation of public space, is the only way forward to community cohesion. Here's wishing more power to secular British-style Diwali.