Happy Dawali!!!! 🤗🕯️🎇


Tonight was a festival to mark the celebration for Hindus and Sikhs to celebrate the triumph of light over dark and good over evil.  Something that everyone can appreciate. People from all faiths could attend the event, including the Building Bridges group that attended the celebration at the Gurdwara in Leith, Edinburgh last Sunday (12 Nov).


It was such a bright and vibrant celebration and I felt very welcomed by it all.  I already understood how wedding ceremonies come together, and after a quick discussion with the Building Bridges project director Pall Singh, I was able to follow the order and help and guide other Building Bridges attendees. 


There was a lovely meal afterwards lighting candles and I witnessed many volunteers working hard to make the event a success. If this was a celebration on the darkest day of the year, it definitely didn't feel like it with candles being lit to bring light into the darkness and fireworks being lit at the end of the evening.


I enjoyed the happy and shimmering event and absolutely loved the various and coordinated Saris and outfits of the families that came to share their traditions with others.  I also met and observed some wonderful people from many faiths coming together and infusing their religious and cultural traditions to mark this occasion.  Dawali is about learning and gaining knowledge and believing that mankind can have peace love and hope for each other in these turbulent times.  I certainly learned a great deal about this wonderful community and festival, as their cultural values of peace, harmony, and unity are a message for us all. 


A ceremonial white feather and religious symbol displayed in a dimly lit room.
Large gathering of people in colorful attire seated on red carpet in an ornate hall with chandeliers.
Small child in red headwear crouching under furniture during an event.
Group singing with projected text in foreign language on screen during religious ceremony.
Person in colorful tie-dye clothing lighting candles at a spiritual gathering.
Hand lighting small tea candles arranged on reflective surface.
Person in traditional red attire lighting candles during religious ceremony.
Person wearing colorful rainbow scarf during cultural celebration.
People preparing food at counter during community gathering.
A smiling individual wearing a brown sweater and white head covering holds an orange container.
People in red turbans watching fireworks display against dark night sky.