Join us as we learn more about the beauty and history of Diwali, one of India's most celebrated religious holidays.
Often referred to as the festival of lights, (or Deepavali in south India), Diwali is a time for religious rituals and sharing traditional stories. It’s also an opportunity to spruce up the home, buy new clothes, and, of course, enjoy parties, feasting and an exchange of gifts.
The Diwali illuminations with lighted diyas bring the supernatural brightness and joy with the hope of finding light in darkness, achieving knowledge where there is ignorance, and spreading love amidst hatred. Diwali is also known as the Festival of Lights. Light is significant in Hinduism because it signifies goodness. So, during the Festival of Lights, 'deeps', or oil lamps, are burned throughout the day and into the night to ward off darkness and evil.
Founded in 1897, the library has been a center point of all sorts of events and was famously used in the Bill Lodge film Mr Fotheringay's Fairport Convention. It's full of books and entertainment and run by our adorable staff.