NORWICH — A lamp-lighting at City Hall Thursday brought Norwich’s official recognition of Diwali ahead of the festival’s Sunday observance.
Mayor Swarnjit Singh joined residents and business owners as they lit a diya on November 5, according to Brian Delk’s report and photographs in The Day. The holiday falls Sunday, November 8.
Singh described the recognition as a way to include Indian and South Asian residents in the city’s civic life, The Day reported. He estimated that about 25 Norwich families and more than 50 families in surrounding communities would celebrate Sunday; those figures are his estimates.
Diwali is known as the festival of lights. The Day’s account describes its themes of light overcoming darkness and good overcoming evil, reflected in the tradition of lighting lamps.