Here’s how you can celebrate Diwali in Cambridge

Everything is actually after Diwali so there’s still time to celebrate


Diwali’s creeping up and at this point last year I was slightly panicking that I hadn’t found a way to celebrate. If you’re in the same boat, here are a few ways to celebrate with your friends in Cambridge and keep the homesickness at bay.

Find a themed formal

Apparently a formal is the way to celebrate EVERYTHING in Cambridge, so it makes sense that this is how a lot of us celebrate Diwali.

Many colleges host themed formals before and after Diwali (I’m yet to find one on the actual day). If you’ve missed booking one, Murray Edwards College is hosting theirs on the 25th so there may still be time to convince that person you met once at Revs to get you a guest ticket.

Supposedly gulab jamun? But I’m seeing a doughnut hole… (Image Credits: Vedika Mandapati)

While we can’t promise that the food will be *authentic* it’s a good chance to spend time with your friends, dress up and take pictures…because that is really the point of formals, isn’t it? At the very least you’ll have pictures to prove that you tried to celebrate.

Sakhya’s dance and dinner

There’s also a dinner and dance and music performances on the 23rd held by the charity Sakhya which “aims to benefit disadvantaged social groups and individuals in India through the grant of funds, raised in the UK” according to their website.

Student tickets are discounted and start from 12 pounds.

CUHS Annual Diwali Ball

Cambridge University Hindu Society’s annual Diwali Ball is back this year! Held at the Cambridge Guildhall, it’s all the fanfare of a Cambridge celebration with some more traditional elements of Diwali thrown in.

Tickets can be bought here and start at 33 pounds for society members. The ball is on the 5th of November, giving you the chance to celebrate once on the day and then again for the ball!

Leave the uni bubble and go to a town event

Surprisingly enough, there are people living in Cambridge who celebrate Diwali but don’t go to the University (I know who would’ve thought). Many of their celebrations are open to the public, so try your hand at booking tickets for those!

The Indian Cultural Society is holding a Kali Puja and Deepawali event tomorrow, with tickets starting from 9 pounds.  There’s also a fireworks display organised by a local primary school on the 4th of November.

Create your own celebration

This is what I did last year and it was a great experience.

Steal all the fairy lights you can find from friends (or buy diyas if you’re committed), do up your room and get Indian takeaway. Or maybe even cook a meal for your friends if you’re a brave soul. From there, see where the night takes you!

Fairy-light rangoli anyone? (Image Credit: Vedika Mandapati)

We ended up at a spontaneous party at another college and had the best time, so it’s definitely worth putting in some effort on the actual day. 

Feature image credits: Keira Quirk

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