Diwali Indian Festival to take place in Dubai

This weekend, Dubai residents can expect festive fireworks in honour of the five-day Indian Diwali festival. On the Dubai Festival City Mall waterfront, the show will begin at 8.30pm on 23 October. On October 25, the opening day of Global Village Multicultural Park, guests will also be treated to a variety of Bollywood performances and festive fireworks.

Diwali (or Deepavali) is India’s main and most vibrant festival. “Deepa” translates to “fire”, “lamp”. And “vali” means “many”. Thus, the name of the festival can be translated from Sanskrit as “bunch of fire”. It is not without reason that the festival is also called the Festival of Lights. The history of Diwali celebrations goes back over 7000 years.

For many parts of India, Diwali marks the beginning of the New Year. For example, traders from Western India, before this holiday, take stock of their activities: clean the shops and put in order the books of accounts.

However, most Indians dedicate Diwali to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and fertility and wife of the god Vinshnu. Lakshmi is the goddess of purity and light, so before the festival of Diwali Indians thoroughly clean their houses and light all the lamps. Even Muslims in India celebrate Diwali by playing cards, dice and other games of chance because Goddess Lakshmi brings good luck.

Diwali is a very kind and colourful festival with a rich history. It has spread far beyond India and is celebrated in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar, Japan and including the United Arab Emirates.

The focal point of many Indian festivals is an unusual delicacy covered in edible silver foil. It is made with spiced milk and nuts, such as cashews or pistachios, to make its delicate flavour more intense.

Passengers on selected Emirates First and Business Class flights will be able to try the traditional ladoos on this Diwali holiday – from 23 to 28 October at the airline’s Dubai and Cape Town lounges.

Source: Time Out Dubai

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