Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is upon us once again, with the biggest festivities falling on 24 October this year. Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs across the world celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and London is no exception.
Families and communities all have their favourite rituals: Lighting a row of earthenware diya lamps along doorways and window ledges; setting off the biggest, scariest fireworks they can find; or dusting off their spangliest salwar kameez for a family party. But nearly all of us will be prioritising one thing: food. No Diwali meal is complete without mithai, or South Asian confectionery — turning up at a party with a brightly-coloured box of London’s freshest sweets is a failsafe way to ensure a return invitation next year. There may be cries from the weak-hearted that South Asian sweets are just too sweet, sugary to the point of excess, and that one cannot eat more than a small cube of milky barfi. Ignore these naysayers, charge ahead, and throw down the gauntlet to dental health — after all, if not for Diwali, then when?
With one of the largest and most varied South Asian communities outside the subcontinent, London is a fantastic place to immerse oneself in the world of mithai. Here are eight great places to pick up Diwali sweets to nibble at home, or to gift friends and family.
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