TOMORROW: Sunday 3rd November 2024
Edinburgh city centre will be awash with music and colour this weekend, as Edinburgh Diwali hosts its annual celebration of the festival of lights tomorrow on Sunday 3rd November.
This year will be the tenth celebration of the Indian festival in Scotland’s capital city, the largest public Diwali event in the country, which celebrates the triumph of light over darkness the world over. Free to attend and open to all, Edinburgh Diwali celebrates community and diversity in Edinburgh with a diverse and colourful programme of music and dance, parade, and fireworks display.
Rajnish Singh, President of Edinburgh Diwali, said: “We are celebrating our 10th Diwali, Festival of Light, complementing 900 years of Edinburgh city.
“Diwali is one of the most widely celebrated Indian festivals across the world by the Indian diaspora. We at Edinburgh Diwali organise the festival in such a way that anyone interested can participate with no barriers – open to all and free to attend in the city centre.
“We had to refresh the event in 2021 post Covid, and are really pleased that it has become one of the most popular communities led event in Edinburgh in a short span of time. We take pride in the way we celebrate the core message of light over darkness with an array of multicultural dance & music and fireworks – Uniting Communities, Celebrating Diversity.
“The organisation of Diwali 2024 is not possible without the hard work of Edinburgh Diwali committee, volunteers, performers, and the support from City of Edinburgh Council and our sponsors. I would like to extend my gratitude to all of them and to our audience for their continued support. We also highly appreciate the support and guidance from the office of Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Consul General of India, Edinburgh, and many long-standing friends of Edinburgh Diwali.
“We are eagerly looking forward to showcasing a vibrant and fun-filled Diwali 2024. On behalf of my Committee, I would like to invite all the residents and visitors of Edinburgh (and Scotland) to join us on 03 November with family & friends.”
Celebrations will begin at St Andrew Square, where performers from across Indian and Scottish culture will converge before setting off on a parade through Edinburgh’s New Town en route to Princes Street Gardens.
The display kicks off at St Andrew Square at 13:15, before making its way along George Street to Castle Street, led by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, the Consul General of India and the Edinburgh Diwali Committee.
Lord Provost and Chair of Edinburgh Diwali, Councillor Robert Aldridge said: “Diwali is a vibrant, family-friendly festival of lights, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.
“Free and open to all, it has become one of Edinburgh’s unmissable events in recent years. I’m delighted to see it continue to grow and flourish. This year marks the tenth celebration of this Indian festival in Scotland’s capital, offering a lively programme of music, dance, and lights.”
The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland will lead proceedings with the unmistakable sound of Scotland, accompanied by pipers and drummers from the Stockbridge and Glencorse Pipe Bands. Following in their wake, the Edinburgh Noise Committee will provide a soundtrack for seven different dance troupes representing the different regions and diversity of Indian Culture.
Students from Ahalya Dance Academy will showcase the ancient art form of Bharatanatyam – a form of classical dance that takes its name from the Tamil words for expression, melody, rythym, and dance.
While the University of Edinburgh’s first South Asian fusion dance society Junoon Dance and Edinburgh Bhangra Crew will showcase modern day India with a display of contemporary South Asian dance styles.
The different states and regions of India will be represented with traditional dance displays from Bihar, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu; and Edinburgh Diwali celebrates multiculturalism in Edinburgh by welcoming Soles Del Peru, who will bring a touch of Latin America and carnivale spirit to the parade.
Celebrations continue with the main event at the Ross Bandstand in West Princes Street Gardens from 15:30, with a varied and vibrant programme of music, drama, and dance. Indian fusion, Scottish Highland Dancing, and Bollywood all feature with performances from BollyFeat, Dance@Studio21, and Edinburgh’s longest running Indian dance school, Dance Ihayami.
Community members from Bharatiya Ashram, Dundee’s Dudhope Multicultural Centre, will depict the traditional story of Diwali with a dramatisation of the Ramayana, an Indian epic that follows the life of Rama, the seventh avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu.
The evening will culminate with a headline performance from one of the UK’s leading British Asian fusion bands, Kaykay & Co.. Led by Kaykay Chouhan, their distinctive and contagious mix of Bollywood bangers and Western pop classics will enthral attendees before a show stopping fireworks display designed by 21CC beneath Castle Rock at 18:30.
Consul General of India, Edinburgh, Mr Siddharth Malik said: “Diwali, the festival of lights, is a celebration that transcends cultures and unites people in the spirit of hope, joy, and the triumph of good over evil. This beautiful festival, commemorating Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya, is now celebrated globally, and I am delighted to see the vibrant community in Edinburgh embrace this tradition with such enthusiasm.
“I am pleased to extend support of the Consulate General of India in Edinburgh to Edinburgh Diwali as they prepare for their annual celebration on 3rd November, 2024.
The colourful parades, music, dance, and fireworks planned for the City Centre and the Princess Street Gardens will undoubtedly bring joy and excitement to all. This event is a testament of Indian community’s hard-work towards fostering cultural exchange and sharing traditions with the people of Scotland.
I thank the Edinburgh City Council for extending their support. I look forward to joining the festivities and celebrating with everyone.”
Edinburgh Diwali 2024 will take place from 13:15 on Sunday 3rd November. The event is free to attend and open to all, encouraging everyone to participate in the family-friendly celebration of light.
Edinburgh Diwali is held thanks to the kind support of the City of Edinburgh Council Diversity & Inclusion Fund, People’s Postcode Lottery, and People’s Postcode Trust,
The festival is further supported by Baillie Gifford, BEMIS Scotland, Craigvrack Hotel, Lidl GB, Mr Basrai’s World Cuisines, and two of Edinburgh’s leading Indian restaurants – Desh and Dishoom. Edinburgh Diwali works closely with Unique Assembly, producer of Edinburgh’s Christmas, to deliver Diwali as part of the city’s calendar of festive events.
For further information about Edinburgh Diwali, visit:
edinburghdiwali.co.uk or facebook.com/edinburgh.diwali.
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