The City of New Westminster will be celebrating the festival of light.
In response to a recommendation from the social inclusion, engagement and reconciliation advisory committee, council has agreed to light up the outside of New Westminster City Hall with white strings of lights in celebration of Diwali. The lights will be lit up for a range of days around Oct. 24.
Coun. Chinu Das said the issue was something that members of the committee felt very passionate about.
“We had a long conversation about feeling represented in the city, and why Diwali is so important to celebrate,” she said. “Four different faiths — Hindu, Sikh, Jains and some Buddhists — celebrate Diwali because it is the time of light and darkness, and good over evil. They really felt that they needed to be represented in the city and have this lightning.”
Staff reviewed the request and determined that lights can be installed on city hall in time for Diwali.
“The display will likely be an early installation of the white chain lights exhibited on city hall through the December to January holiday season,” said a staff report. “These lights will be lit up for Diwali and then de-energized until December to be repurposed then.”
Das noted that Century House in New Westminster is hosting a number of events in celebration of Diwali, including a dinner.
“It's a sit-down dinner with entertainment and participation in the singing and dancing,” she said. “It will be a lot of fun. There is a cost to it, and there are limits to how many people can attend each event. So please go to the Century House website and look at the details and get your tickets if you want to attend.”
Here’s what’s happening at Century House for Diwali:
* Wednesday, Oct. 19: Diwali – Festival of Lights features an evening of traditional Indian food (not spicy), music and dancing. It’s on Oct. 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. It costs $15 for Century House member and $18 for non-members, and people must register by Saturday, Oct. 15.
* Tuesday, Oct. 18: Discover Amazing India is a free workshop that features two documentaries where you’ll learn thought-providing facts about India and journey across the country, learning about its history, religions, culture and traditions. The event includes display tables with artifacts, as well as snacks. It’s on Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to noon; it’s free but people are asked to pre-register by Saturday, Oct. 15.
* Saturday, Oct. 22: Applaud Indian Culture Through Music, Song and Dance is a program featuring the ancient art of Indian classical music through dance performances and classical songs played to live music using Indian instruments. Dance demonstrations (with audience participation), information about Indian instruments, sari tying, henna and snacks are part of the day’s fun. This free event is taking place on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. It would be appreciated if attendees could pre-register by Thursday, Oct. 20.
A henna artist will be attending these three events and offering folks a chance to experience Mehndi. It costs $5 for a small design or $7 for a large design (paid directly to the artist). Register in advance by emailing [email protected] or leaving your name and contact info at the front desk of Century House.
More information about Century House programs is available at www.centuryhouseassocation.com.
