Diwali, the “festival of light”, is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists around the world. In an unexpected turn of events, this year, it falls on Halloween!
With Diwali being about celebrating the triumph of light and goodness over evil, and Halloween being about donning spooky masks and exploring the scarier side of humanity, these two events could not be further apart. So, how can we go about celebrating them at the same time?
Firstly, a lot of Halloween celebrations take place in the evening. During the day (especially on a Thursday), you won’t see people attending lectures in spooky costumes or holding Halloween celebrations in the Meadows! Halloween celebrations tend to take the form of house parties or watching spooky films in the dark. This means you could find ways to celebrate Diwali during the day, before the scary festivities begin!
Furthermore, Diwali is time for connecting with and appreciating your loved ones. Because of this, I would recommend giving them a call at some point during the day. My family always try to organise a (chaotic!) group FaceTime call, and it is a lovely way of celebrating with one another even from afar.
If you have friends who celebrate here in Edinburgh, why not try making some traditional family recipes together, or finding the nearest Indian sweet shop to indulge in some mithai or barfi? You could even bake some Halloween cupcakes or cookies at the same time!
I would also recommend paying a visit to the Edinburgh Hindu Mandir or the Edinburgh Gudwara, both located in Leith. On Diwali, these places of worship provide a community and celebration, whilst also helping you feel connected to you religion and culture.
Secondly, you can celebrate the run up to Halloween in the week (or weeks!) before the 31st. Decorating your flat with cobwebs and bats (like we have done) or picking your costumes for various themed events are fun and exciting activities to do between now and the end of October. Unfortunately, though, once November hits, the excitement of spooky season has passed, and Halloween fanatics will have to wait another year to bring out their cloaks and masks.
This year, however, Edinburgh’s annual Diwali parade is taking place on the 3rd of November, and with Halloween celebrations ending, it is perfect timing! The event is free and open to everyone, whether you are religious or just want to learn more about Indian culture.
The vibrant parade will be going around the centre of the city, carrying floats of Hindu gods and accompanied by performances from bhangra dance groups and a range of North and South Indian dishes available from local vendors. This all culminates in Princes Street Gardens, where a live band will perform Bollywood music, and this year both music and dance are set to blend Indian, Scottish and, fusion styles. Finally (and this is my favourite part) there is a spectacular firework display at the end that is not to be missed!
There are plenty of ways that you can get involved with both Diwali and Halloween celebrations. Regardless of how you choose to spend the day, I hope you find a way of celebrating that works for you and that you get to spend quality time with the people you love.
Illustration by Camila Sanchez Rodriguez