The Mayor of Kingston, Geoff Austin, and MP James Berry danced to live Indian music at the Diwali celebrations held at the Ancient Market Place on Thursday evening.
Lights were switched on at the city centre, where about 300 people including members of the Indian community and other local residents gathered to mark the annual Hindu festival.
The Indian community, which makes up around 4% of Kingston’s 160,060 residents, of Kingston celebrate Diwali every year.
Long-time resident Rekha Patel said: “The most important aspect of the festival is the light, it takes away the darkness and evil. I have lived here for 46 years…We are very happy, I hope the festivities continue like this every year.”
Bollywood choreographer Jay Kumar made everyone dance including the children. “Diwali is a time to celebrate,” he said as he took selfies with some of the crowd. “It is a very significant celebration for the Indian community in Kingston and it is a way to show their value and culture.”
Diwali, also known as the festival of lights or Deepavali, is celebrated annually across the world. It dates back to ancient India and is observed by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. The main spiritual significance is that it celebrates the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. It is an official holiday in many countries such as India, Pakistan and Malaysia.
