Lanterns, drummers and young performers brought light and colour to Woking town centre as communities came together for the annual Diwali parade.

The procession set off from Gloucester Square shortly after 6pm on Thursday, November 5, led by the sounds of traditional double-sided dhol drums.

It travelled through the Peacocks shopping centre to Jubilee Square, where families gathered for performances, before continuing along Commercial Way to Victoria Square.

Pallavi Bhutada, Swati Singh, Piyusha Shah, and Gargi Thakre at Woking's Diwali celebrations.
Pallavi Bhutada, Swati Singh, Piyusha Shah, and Gargi Thakre at Woking's Diwali celebrations. (Ruchi Hajela)

Children aged three-and-a-half to nine performed a musical retelling of Lord Ram’s return to his kingdom, Ayodhya, with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman after 14 years in exile.

Dance performances followed from members of the Surrey Area Telugu Association and Surrey Hindu Cultural Association. People carrying lanterns and tealights then continued the parade, with some dancing to the drums.

Pallavi Bhutada, from Woking, organised the children’s performance and also took part in a Bollywood dance.

She said: “It was a very joyful celebration of community and culture with our young performers bringing ‘Ram leela’ to life. Teaching these kids was a pure joy and being part of this wonderful community made me super proud.”

The Mayor of Woking, Cllr Rob Leach, also joined the celebrations.

Young performers at Woking's Diwali celebrations.
Young performers at Woking's Diwali celebrations. (Ruchi Hajela)

The parade was organised by the Woking Diwali Committee, bringing together groups including the Surrey Hindu Cultural Association, Woking Malayalee Association, Surrey Area Telugu Association and Tamil Association.

Heathcot Medical Practice sponsored this year’s event and provided first aid support.

Deepa Sundeep, of Woking Malayalee Association, said volunteering at the celebration had been “an incredibly rewarding experience”.

Ritesh Aswaney, of the organising committee, said: “The Woking Diwali Parade is a true multicultural event that has brought the community together for over a decade.”

Diwali, known as the festival of lights, is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains and symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.