Peeblesshire News | News | Diwali delight at Eastgate

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Friday, 27th October, 2006 10:21

Diwali delight at Eastgate

By David Knox

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PEEBLES pulsed to the sounds, images and smells of India on Sunday for the region’s first ever all-day Hindu festival.

Hundreds of visitors arrived at the Eastgate Theatre for a taste of far-off culture and beliefs.

The Diwali festival incorporated dance, yoga and body art workshops, film, music, crafts, cuisine and the ceremonial lighting of the lights.

Goa-born chef Bosco Santimano was the inspiration behind the successful Diwali.

And he hopes to repeat the cultural cracker with another festival next year. Bosco told the Peeblesshire News: “Last year I approached the Eastgate Theatre about the possibility of holding a different cultural event each year. There are so many cultures and I feel it is important we acknowledge and appreciate them.

“The idea is why go many miles to enjoy a culture when we can bring it here.

“I am from Goa, so I thought it would be good to start with a festival and culture I know well. Dawali is the festival of the lights – it celebrates good over evil, light over darkness.”

Dozens attended the various workshops throughout Sunday, where they learned Bollywood dance, classical Indian music, the art of Henna body decoration, and spiritually uplifting yoga.

Children from all of the town’s primary schools helped decorate the theatre with works of art.

And many enjoyed the acclaimed film about the lives of street children, Salaam Bombay, which raised vital funds for charities in the city.

Gifts were handed out, authentic dishes from India were enjoyed throughout the evening, and a disc jockey concluded the celebrations with popular bhangra beats going through until Midnight.

But the highlight for most was the symbolic switching on of the lights that were specially strung around the Eastgate.

Bosco added: “The event has been very well supported and there have been so many happy smiling faces within the theatre, you just know it has been worthwhile.

“At this moment I am unsure which culture we will visit next year – possibly Spanish – but for the moment we will just reflect on the success of the festival of lights.”

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