By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Central Albertans pack Festival Hall for Diwali

Nov 4, 2018 | 9:07 AM

A festival as important to Hindus as Christmas is to Christians was celebrated in Red Deer on Saturday night.

Diwali, or Dipawalia, is the most important holiday in India each year and marks the beginning of a new start to the Hindu calendar. The occasion, which actually culminates on Nov. 7 this year, is also known as the festival of lights.

“It’s four or five days of celebrations and almost everything is closed. It’s a standstill for people to enjoy the festivities,” says Dharmesh Goradia, director with the Hindu Cultural Society of Central Alberta. “The central message is one of good over evil, or light over darkness.”

That theme is interpreted through different stories based on which part of India a person lives or is from.

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On Saturday night, 250 people packed Festival Hall, the fifth straight year the event has sold out. It is the only ticketed event on the society’s list of annual celebrations.

“Next year we’ll try to make it bigger and we’ll have more tickets. We have really, really good Indian vegetarian food. We have a really good cultural program, a DJ, and magic show. Come and join us next year,” Goradia adds.

“Seven or eight years back when I moved to Red Deer, I was hardly able to bump into East Indian people, but now if you go out, you see quite a few, and that does not include the Fijian Hindu community.”

Goradia estimates there are between 250 and 300 families in central Alberta who will celebrate Diwali.