Cheapflights UK shows travellers where to lighten up for Diwali
The UK’s leading site for flight price comparison has gone all around the world in search of celebration to find out where the crowds are heading for the festivals of Diwali and Deepavali.
“Being the curry loving nation that we are, it’s no surprise that Brits are starting to embrace other aspects of Indian culture like Diwali and why London’s Trafalgar Square is one of the biggest global hotspots for marking the occasion this year,” says Nadine Hallak, Travel Expert for Cheapflights.co.uk
“The festival celebrates things like family, joy and prosperity, and is atmospherically similar to Christmas. Recent years have seen a trend among the Bollywood jet set for marking the occasion with a holiday,” adds Hallak.
Make like a Bollywood star and stay on trend this Diwali with a holiday or a staycation in one of Cheapflights’ Top 10 festival locations. Here we preview five of the ten:
Staycation: If keeping it local appeals, London’s largest celebration will be held in Trafalgar Square from 2pm through to 6:30pm on 31st October, leaving plenty of time for Halloween fun afterwards. Brits have personalised their Diwali festivities by swapping vegetable oil for coconut oil to light up the traditional diya lamps.
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Capital City Diwali: Not surprisingly, India’s most populated city, Mumbai, is a hub for the famous holiday with restaurants offering special menus for the celebration, and fireworks lighting up the skies. Travellers headed for the metropolis should go to Marine Drive for the best views. The Diwali celebrations run through until the first two weeks of November.
Amritsar: The scene of Ashwariya Rai’s Hollywood debut for the movie Pride and Prejudice, Amritsar is also home to India’s famous Golden Temple, which bedazzles visitors with its array of lights and fireworks during Diwali. Festivities run from mid October through mid November.
Diwali Down Under: Sydney is home to “the biggest Indian festival in Australia.” The Deepavali Festival 2010 at Parramatta Stadium takes place 7th November from noon until 9pm. Attractions include a dance competition, Indian food stalls and bazaar, Indian artists in attendance and the burning of a giant effigy of demon-king Ravana.
Light Up in Leicester: Claimed by the city’s council as the biggest celebration outside of India, an estimated 30,000 attendees rocked up to witness illumination of Belgrave Road on 24th October. This kicked off two weeks of celebration continuing onto 5th November when the Diwali Dinner Dance in Leicester’s O2 Academy will serve as the grand finale.