September 16, 2005
By Tshepiso Seopa
NEWTOWN will be ablaze with candles, lamps and fireworks when it hosts Diwali on 22 October.
A Hindu celebration, Diwali is popularly known as the Festival of Light. It is celebrated by millions of people worldwide and carries messages of joy, peace, happiness, splendor and brightness.
Diwali is Hindu new year and is recognised as a new beginning for all.
The theme this year, the first time Johannesburg is hosting a public event for Diwali, is "Festival of light, celebration of life".
The festival is a partnership between the Joburg Property Company, the Johannesburg Development Agency and the department of arts, culture and heritage services and the Gauteng Indian Dance Alliance. The Indian high commission and consulate-general are also involved.
It is set to put the spotlight on the rich cultural diversity of Gauteng, and the organisers hope it will attract a large audience from all cultural backgrounds. They also hope to make it an annual event for the City.
Nisha Moodley, the project manager for the Newtown Diwali Festival, says, "One of our key objectives is to celebrate, inform and share the experience of the rich cultural heritage of Diwali with the wider South African audience.
"Everyone is invited - young, old, black and white people must come. This is a family day. There will also be arts and crafts workshops tailored for adults and children," she explains.
"Music and arts will play a huge part. Artists will share their talent on this unique public platform, and special workshops will be offered free of charge to adults and children in Baratha Natyam [South Indian Classical Dance], Kathak [North Indian Classical Dance], Fusion/Bollywood and contemporary dance."
Xoliswa Ngema, JDA development manager, says, "A festival highlighting the Indian Diaspora is a first for the inner city. This will attract new audiences to the precinct."
The day's events start at 11am, with performances by community and cultural groups. Stalls will be set up for people to buy saris, home deco goods, music, books and other items. The market will open at 11am, and close at midnight.
To wrap up the day, there will be a Bollywood street party.
"Food and beverages will be sold at food stalls that will serve different cuisine from different parts of India, as well as South African Indian cookery," Moodley says.
People will be shown how to prepare an Indian dish.
"A wellness centre, with Indian head massage therapists, palm readers, astrologists, rangoli, henna [artists] and so forth, will be housed at the Bus Factory."
The organisers expect that more than 10 000 people will attend the day's activities.
Further explaining the significance of Diwali, Moodley says, "Diwali is celebrated for five days, with each day having its own significance, ritual and myths.
"Celebrations begin at dusk when darkness unfolds. People give expression to their happiness by lighting earthen lamps and decorating their houses.
"Invitations to people who are near and dear are sent out, so that they may come and enjoy a sumptuous feast.
"Celebrations of Diwali begin from Dusshera, which comes 20 days before Diwali, a day in which Lord Rama triumphed over Ravana. The festival symbolises unity and diversity as every state celebrates it in its own special way."
She says the festival marks the beginning of what will become an annual celebration in Newtown.
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