Colour, Faith and Festivity: Manchester's Hindu Community Celebrates the Season

For Manchester's Hindu community, the festive calendar is never short of colour or devotion — and this season has brought two beloved celebrations to the forefront, each expressing the richness of faith in its own distinct way.

🎨 Holi Brings the Festival of Colours to the North-West

Holi, the Hindu festival marking the end of winter and the triumph of good over evil, is being celebrated across the north-west of England with a series of events spread over ten days. Participants traditionally gather to throw brightly coloured powders and water over one another, while also offering prayers and sharing traditional foods and sweets. This year the festival itself fell on a Wednesday, but the accompanying celebrations — featuring music, dancing and singing — are set to continue well beyond that date across the region. The events give Manchester's wider South Asian community a joyful public opportunity to share a cherished tradition with friends, family and neighbours alike. [1]

🪔 BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Marks Diwali and Annakut in Manchester

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha held Diwali and Hindu New Year Annakut celebrations in Manchester, bringing together devotees for one of the most significant events in the Swaminarayan calendar. Annakut, meaning 'mountain of food', is a central feature of the occasion, during which an elaborate display of food offerings is presented before the deity as an act of devotion and gratitude. The celebrations reflect BAPS's longstanding presence in the UK, where the organisation maintains an active network of centres dedicated to spiritual living, community service and the preservation of Hindu culture and heritage. For Manchester's Gujarati and wider Hindu communities, events like this serve as a vital anchor of faith and collective identity. [2]

Sources: [1] BBC · [2] BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha