Festival of light to bring joy to town

Diwali is celebrated by over a billion Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world

Scores of lamps are set to line the streets as the festival of light brightens up a town.

Northampton's annual Diwali festival is set to take place on Saturday at the Market Square, with stalls, food and entertainment.

Northampton Indian Hindu Welfare Organisation has been bringing Diwali to the town for the past 25 years.

Neelam Aggarwal-Singh, chair of the organisation, said: "The event has grown every year from humble beginnings to become a vibrant and inclusive community celebration with so many different groups, partners and individuals involved."

Diwali typically falls on the darkest night of the year and marks the triumph of good over evil.

The festival is celebrated by over a billion Hindus, Sikhs and Jains all over the world.

Homes across the globe are illuminated with small clay lamps, called diva lamps, in the hope that it will attract blessings and invite prosperity for the year ahead.

Celebrations are due to kick off at 10:00 BST when visitors will be able to browse cultural stalls, including saree dressing and mehndi, also known as henna.

There will also be a light parade at 18:00 at the Fish Street junction of Dychurch Lane, with schoolchildren and community groups joining large-scale puppets including Harminder the elephant and Shanti the giant bird.

Keith Holland-Delamere, chair of the community services committee at Northampton Town Council and Labour councillor for the Blackthorn and Rectory Farm ward, said: "We are proud to support the Indian Hindu Welfare Organisation with this significant and popular festival."

"We would encourage everyone to come and join the Diwali celebrations and witness the spectacular parade."

The story of the Ramayana, in which Lord Rama defeated a demon called Raavana, is also told around this time of year.