Festivals: Diwali and Holi

Hindu Festivals in British Life

Festivals are central to Hindu religious life. They mark time by sacred stories, bring communities together, renew devotion and express joy in the divine. Two of the most widely celebrated Hindu festivals in Britain are Diwali and Holi. Both are celebrated by millions of Hindus across the UK and both have meanings that reach deep into Hindu scripture and devotional life.

It is important to note that Diwali is also celebrated by Sikhs (as Bandi Chhor Divas, marking the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment) and by Jains. The festival’s meaning differs across traditions. In this lesson, the focus is on its meaning for Hindus specifically.

Diwali: Origins and Meaning

Diwali (also spelled Divali) is a five-day festival celebrated in late October or November, according to the Hindu lunar calendar. The word diwali comes from the Sanskrit dipavali, meaning “row of lights.” The festival is known as the Festival of Lights.

The most widely known origin story is from the Ramayana: after Rama’s victory over the demon Ravana and his 14-year exile, he and Sita returned to their kingdom of Ayodhya. The people of Ayodhya lit rows of clay lamps (diyas) to welcome them home and to light their way through the dark. This story celebrates the triumph of righteousness over evil and the return of the divine king.

In Vaishnavite communities, Diwali is also associated with the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. On the main Diwali night, homes are lit with lamps and decorated with rangoli (intricate patterns made from coloured powder) to welcome Lakshmi in. Worshippers perform puja to Lakshmi and pray for prosperity and wellbeing in the coming year.

In South India, Diwali is associated with Krishna’s defeat of the demon Narakasura — showing that even within Hinduism, the same festival can have different origin stories in different regional traditions.

Diwali in Great Britain Today

The Hindu community in Britain celebrates Diwali with great enthusiasm. In Leicester, which has one of the largest Hindu communities in Britain, the Diwali celebrations on Belgrave Road attract tens of thousands of visitors each year and are described as the largest Diwali celebrations outside India. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden holds special puja and events throughout the festival period.

Meena, a 72-year-old grandmother who came from Gujarat to Leicester in the 1970s, describes Diwali as “the time when our whole family comes together. The children help make rangoli at the door; we do arati together; we share sweets with the neighbours. It keeps us Hindu even in England.” For the British Hindu community, Diwali is both a religious festival and a powerful expression of cultural identity and continuity.

The festival includes: lighting of diyas and candles in the home; performance of Lakshmi puja on the main night; exchange of gifts and sweets; fireworks; and in larger communities, public processions and light displays. The lighting of the home symbolises the divine light entering and blessing the household.

Holi: Origins and Meaning

Holi is celebrated in late February or March, at the full moon that marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring. It is known as the Festival of Colours. The name Holi comes from Holika, a demoness who features in one of the festival’s origin stories.

The main origin story involves the demon king Hiranyakashipu, who demanded that everyone worship him instead of God. His own son, Prahlada, refused — he was a devoted worshipper of Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu tried many times to kill Prahlada, but Vishnu protected him each time. Finally, Holika (the demon king’s sister) tried to burn Prahlada in a fire, but Holika herself was burned while Prahlada emerged unharmed. This is the theological meaning of the bonfire (Holika Dahan) lit on the eve of Holi: the destruction of evil and the protection of the devoted.

A second strand of Holi’s meaning comes from the story of Krishna and Radha. Krishna, as a young man in Vrindavan, playfully sprayed coloured water on Radha and the gopis (cowherd women). This playfulness became the tradition of throwing coloured powder and water at Holi — a joyful, egalitarian celebration in which social distinctions are temporarily dissolved.

Holi in Great Britain Today

Holi has grown significantly in visibility in Britain. Hindu communities gather for Holika Dahan (the bonfire on the eve of Holi) and then the colour celebration the following day. University Hindu Societies across the UK hold Holi events that attract both Hindu and non-Hindu students. The Bhaktivedanta Manor in Hertfordshire holds a celebrated Holi festival.

Dev, a 19-year-old student at a UK university, describes Holi as “the one festival where being Hindu feels completely joyful and free. The colours, the music — it feels like the tradition is saying: God loves joy.” For many young British Hindus, Holi’s themes of renewal, joy and the equality of all people give it particular resonance in a multicultural society.

The theological significance of Holi includes: renewal and the transition from winter to spring; the triumph of dharma (right conduct and devotion) over adharma (evil); the equality of all people before God — during Holi, social hierarchies are temporarily set aside and all play together as equals.