Birmingham Diwali celebrations delight Bullring shoppers

22 October 2022

Diwali

Diwali celebrations — Image caption,
The Dundu puppets have performed around the world since 2006. Dundu means "you and you"

By John Bray

��˿�� News, West Midlands

Little and large light puppets, groups of colourful dancers and drummers illuminated a city shopping centre to launch Diwali celebrations.

Sharing the Light - Welcome Diwali is a two-night celebration in Birmingham to mark the five-day Festival of Lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world.

A dance performance just yards from the Bullring bull statue, started the event shortly after 18:30 BST

A large group of shoppers stopped to watch the start of the performance which used all three levels of the Bullring

In Birmingham, local schoolchildren have created hundreds of Diwali lanterns, while local community groups have been learning the steps for a dance routine to entertain late-night shoppers.

Sharing the Light - Welcome Diwali, which also runs on Saturday evening, has been put together by Birmingham Hippodrome, Bullring & Grand Central, dance group Sonia Sabri Company and German puppeteers Dundu - The Giants of Light.

Plans for Friday night's event included an outdoor lantern processions and fireworks, but rain drove the celebrations inside

Baby Dundu, controlled by five puppeteers, was replaced by a giant puppet during the hour-long performance

To the background sound of dhol drummers, Baby Dundu was guided through the Bullring down the escalators

Sonia Sabri, Artistic Director at Sonia Sabri Company, said: "This is an amazing opportunity for community groups to come together with the professional team of dance artists and musicians and perform a brand-new work especially created for the outdoors at sunset.

"Sharing The Light is an exuberant event celebrating the city of Birmingham through an eclectic composition of dance and music and visuals."

The main performance area on the lower ground floor saw Baby Dundu transformed

A giant puppet emerged to entertain audiences watching from all three floors of the Bullring

The word Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word deepavali, meaning "rows of lighted lamps" - and houses, shops and public places are decorated with small oil lamps called diyas.

This year Diwali takes place over five days from 22-26 October with the main day of celebration on Monday 24 November.

Local dancers joined the colourful celebration to mark Diwali, before the audience was urged to join in

Graham Callister, Director of Festivals at Birmingham Hippodrome, said: "We are thrilled to welcome the annual global Diwali celebrations to Birmingham through a mix of free, high-quality local South Asian-led and international arts, performances, installations and workshops that engage the city's communities, schools and families."

Part of Friday's event was captured on the page.