The 31st October marked Diwali 2024 – a personal highlight in my calendar. Known as the ‘Festival of Lights’, this celebration commemorates the release of Guru Hargobind, the sixth guru in the Sikh religion, from prison.
What Diwali Means to Me
Diwali means something special to every Sikh, and for me, it’s a mix of tradition, family time, and those warm moments that remind me why this celebration is so close to my heart. We’re not just talking about the usual lights and sweets (although I’ll never say no to a piece of chocolate barfi!) For Sikhs, Diwali has a unique history, going back to when Guru Hargobind Ji was imprisoned by the Mughal emperor Jahangir. When he was finally released, he made sure 52 other prisoners – all Hindu kings – gained their freedom, too. Diwali is as much about that message of courage and compassion as it is about the festivities.
At home, we spend the cooking up a feast to enjoy in the evening and visit the Gurdwara. We light diyas (tealights) around the house which symbolises the triumph of good over evil, lightness over dark. Diwali also brings a chance to spend time with family, catch up, and just be together. This year was a special one, as we spent it with my Grandparents and sister who visited from down south.
Diwali might be about lights, but it’s also about letting those lights remind us to reflect on what matters. For me, it’s about reconnecting with what my faith means to me, the idea of resilience, and standing up for what’s right. And after all the celebrations, I always feel a bit of renewed energy to carry these values forward in my everyday life.
Diwali PR Campaigns
In the PR world, Diwali is often overlooked and unrecognised as a key calendar date. I appreciate the fact that most brands don’t jump on it for the sake of it because it shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity to promote consumerism but this year, the ones that did really made an impact. Mattel launched a limited-edition Diwali Barbie doll, in partnership with celebrated Indian fashion designer, Anita Dongre. It was a collaboration that just made sense and really gave some much-needed representation that 5-year-old me didn’t have. The doll is incredible and I’m not ashamed to admit that I made a purchase!
Jimmy Choo also paid homage to the festival this year by sending out pairs of shoes from its Diwali Capsule collection to Indian influencers. Not only did the designer create an entire collection to celebrate the holiday, but the social media content created off the back of it by influencers raised awareness to our culture which is something we don’t see often so overall, a huge YES from me.
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