Ripon was given an insight into the festivities associated with Dawali at a special event in the city’s library this week.
The five-day Festival of Lights, whose principal day is today, is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world.
Its focus is on new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness.
Sarita McDermott, who owns Realitea, the Indian tea room and bistro on North Street, organised the event at the library with outreach librarian Claire Thompson.
She told the audience:
“Diwali is like Christmas in this country. People put on their best clothes, enjoy some lovely food, music and dancing.
“I wanted to show friends and other people in Ripon, the peaceful joy that this festival brings.”
Sarita McDermott leads the dancing.
Among those joining in the celebrations was a team of dancers from Jennyruth Workshops who wore traditional Indian dress.
They had been practicing for a month prior to their performance, which included dancing to music from the Punjab and the Gujarat region as well as Bollywood-style dance.
Following the display, there was an opportunity for the performers and members of the audience to enjoy some authentic Dawali dishes and treats.
Ms Thompson said:
“We had planned to stage an event of this nature for some time and I’m delighted that it has now happened and gone so well.”
Pictured: Claire Thompson (left) and Sarita McDermott, with Jennyruth dancers (from left) Matthew, Bethany and Ben Evason and Martin Grainger
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Light in the 2020 darkness for Ripon
The Mayor of Ripon has given a message of support and hope for residents of the city as 2020 draws to an end.
Councillor Eamon Parkin, whose mayoral year has been extended after a new mayor could not be appointed in May due to the pandemic, gave the following message to the Stray Ferret for Ripon:
It has been a year of darkness and light for the citizens of Ripon.
Few will be sorry to reach the last page in their 2020 diaries, after the nine months we have just endured.
As the joint owner of a public house, I know the pain that fellow publicans and other small businesses in the hospitality sector have experienced in this stop-start, lockdown year.
All traders classed as ‘non-essential’ have been losing out since March, with some struggling to keep their heads above water.
Against this backdrop of hardship and heartache, Ripon’s independent spirit has shone through. We turn into 2021 financially poorer, but richer in other respects.
Though the civic year has been severely curtailed by covid, I have either witnessed or been told of hundreds of acts of kindness across our proud and ancient city.
Mayor Councillor Eamon Parkin sees Ripon’s Christmas lights as a symbol of hope
People who worked late into the night on kitchen tables to produce vital protective equipment, joined neighbours on Thursday evenings to applaud the service of our hard-pressed frontline workers.
Restaurants and cafes closed because of coronavirus restrictions, made thousands of meals that were taken to elderly and vulnerable people stuck in self-isolation.
A Ripon butcher delivered free weekly meat packs to help hard-up families.
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Pupils at our schools sent cards and messages to lift the spirits of care and nursing home residents and and donations of goods flooded into foodbanks.
Throughout our long history, Ripon has survived the Black Death, a Viking assault, the English Civil War and two World Wars, but an unseen, yet lethal enemy was at our gate in 2020.
It robbed us of loved ones and put our normal way of life and traditions on hold.
Our three hornblowers had to vacate Market Square – though their nightly ceremony, dating back 1134 years, has continued behind closed doors.
Celebrations of the 75th anniversary of VE Day in May had to be scaled back to home front gardens and August’s Saint Wilfrid procession was cancelled.
Despite the days of disappointment, Riponians decorated their properties, strung bunting across streets and greeted each other over fences and hedges, while joining in community singing to music played through loud speakers.
Some of the money that had been set aside for public and civic events that were either cancelled or scaled back, was used to extend our festive decorations to cover three miles of streets.
While there was criticism in some quarters about lighting a city centre where many shops and other businesses were closed, I believe that they provide a symbol of hope.
People make places and the spontaneous collaborative community effort I have seen across the city, during 2020, tells me that Ripon has a bright future.
I wish everybody a peaceful Christmas and a brighter New Year.