Diwali at the National Maritime Museum

Celebrate the spirit of Diwali at 'Illuminate’ – a family-friendly festival at the National Maritime Museum on October 25. Diwali is an annual celebration in the Hindu calendar, and variations of the festival are also observed in the Jain and Sikh faiths. The National Maritime Museum celebrates the festival annually to encourage visitors to engage with other cultures and families, and learn more about the South Asian items in the Museum’s collection.

Curated by Mehala Ford, founder of South Asian art collective COMMONGROUND&, this year’s event is themed around inner light. The day will include performances, creative workshops, storytelling and a lantern parade around Greenwich Park.

Performances and Parade

• Bharatanatyam Performance
• Hashna Siva performs a Bharatanatyam dance on the Ocean Map..
• Bhangra Performance
• The all-female Bhangra entertainment team, Eternal Taal, brings the energy of Punjab to the stage. 
• Lantern Parade
• The day will end with the annual lantern parade around the park accompanied by the exhilarating beats of the Eternal Taal dhol drummers. 

Workshops and Talks

• Warrior Women
• Uncover the stories of warrior women with Theeba Krishnamoorthy.
• Puppet Performance
• StoryHour UK will screen their puppet performance of the Ramayana story. 
• Storytelling
• Debbie Guneratne’s brings stories on themes of Diwali to life.
• Rangoli
• Discover traditional Rangoli art led by Ekta Mody from Story Beyond Lines. 
• Dance Workshop
• Dance group Eternal Taal will lead the public in a dance workshop.
• Lantern Making
• Make and decorate Diwali lanterns that can be shown off at the lantern procession.
• Dress up for Diwali
• Step into the spirit of Diwali by trying on a selection of traditional South Asian outfits. 
• Henna
• Experience henna art with Huqthat, a creative collective inspired by the rich history and beauty of henna. 

Admission is FREE

Venue details