Increasingly Diwali appears to becoming a global festival, intrinsically good-natured, positive and celebratory. Diwali (festival of light) in my limited understanding, is, at least in part, a secular celebration, or it can be construed as partially secular. Originally a Hindi festival it seems to have spread across India (I have Sikh friends who celebrate Diwali) and way beyond, straddling numerous religions and migrating over borders. Diwali is also associated with harvest-time and its celebration in October coincides with the Indian harvest. Certainly, in the UK Diwali's cogent metaphor of light and partly secular and accessible constitution allows for multicultural and multi-faith participation and, above all, inclusivity and fun!
Aruna Kailey's UK-based dance company, as if to serve my above points, combined Bollywood and Belly Dance styles, combining multiculturalism in dance with multiculturalism by geography. The accessibility of both Bollywood and Belly Dance, in combination evoking a graphic, rhythmic and sensual musicality together with potent and decisive motion, echoes the accessible, hedonistic construct of Diwali.
Thanks to Aruna and her fellow dancers.
:-)
Simon
https://www.arunadance.co.uk/
