Hindus share spirit of Diwali with manor volunteers in Bradford

Members of the Hindu community and National Trust volunteers have come together to put on Diwali celebrations at a manor house in Keighley.

East Riddlesden Hall has been decorated for Diwali following a series of “chai and chat” sessions to help the venue understand the festival and how best to reflect it.

Claire Mann, 62, a retired prosecutor and volunteer, said: “Something that really resonated for me in these discussions was about Diwali being a celebration of light, and the triumph of light over dark, and good over evil.

“That spirit is universal – it feels very powerful currently [when] a lot of our local communities are going through really tough times.”

She said learning about a culture which was new to her had been “absolutely intriguing” and “feels a real privilege”.

“Members of the Hindu community have been hugely generous with their time [and] they brought saris for us to wear,” she said.

“As a white British woman you think, ‘is that cultural appropriation?’, but they said, ‘our community would really appreciate if you would wear one’.

“So we have been practicing our sari tying so we can look suitable when we are on the rota.”

Four rooms at the hall have been transformed with decorations donated by local families to show how Diwali is celebrated in four major regions.

Deepak Sharma, trustee for the Bradford Hindu Council, gave an interview to help create the Punjabi-inspired room.

“My outfit is there on display to say, ‘if we celebrate in north of India, this is what I would typically be wearing’,” he said.

“I know how we celebrate in Punjab, so it will be nice to see how they celebrate in the west, east and south – it will be an educational thing for me in that sense.”

Mr Sharma helped set up the council about five years ago to connect 25 local faith groups under one umbrella and improve their outreach.

He said the message of light over darkness was “universal” and ran through “a lot of cultural faiths”.

“For example, we light the candles, but I have done that with [people of] the Jewish faith at synagogues lighting the Hanukkiah, and candles in the Bradford cathedral,” he said.

“People look at the differences, but these things can bring us together rather than push us apart.”

Mr Sharma said the celebrations were open to everyone, of any or no faith.

He hoped they would help “correct the narrative” associated with recent right-wing protests and the use of the English flag.

“The ultimate theme [of Diwali] is, ‘remove my ignorance and give me light so I understand’,” he said.

“This is about opening people’s eyes and showing the richness of the culture that is here in England.”

Emily Ghassempour, communities lead for the National Trust in West Yorkshire, said initial conversations with the council found lots of the South Asian community felt the trust was not relevant to them.

“We are in Bradford, it’s the most diverse city, it’s full of every different type of nationality. Why not make sure our National Trust is open to everyone?

Ms Ghassempour, who had the initial idea for the parnership, said it had led to “loving, respectful” conversations and relationships.

Some members of the Hindu community had opened up to the Trust’s volunteers about issues like racism and anti-immigration sentiment faced by their families.

She said she felt especially “passionate” about building cross-cultural connections due to her dad’s “feeling of not belonging” when he came to the UK from Iran as a child.

“Everyone has a story, and everyone’s story deserves to be told,” she said.

Decorations and events at East Riddlesden Hall are set to take place until 22 October.

The National Trust is also celebrating Diwali at Osterley House and Park in London, Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire and Bateman’s in East Sussex.

“Whoever you are, whatever your belief system, wherever you are from, everyone can get behind light over darkness,” Ms Ghassempour said.

“We need that now more than ever.”