Gurdwaras ditching fireworks for eco-friendly light shows

A Gurdwara ditched traditional fireworks for an eco-friendly light show as it urged religious groups to lower their carbon footprint. Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick joined forces with The Canal & River Trust for a colourful Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas light display at Galton Bridge.

More than 300 people came to the Grade I-listed structure on November 9. Bright patterns were projected onto the wrought-iron, 200-year-old bridge, with beams of light shining along the top of the bridge, all using energy-efficient LEDs.

President of Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick, Kuldeep Singh Deol, wanted a green celebration without noise pollution, waste or littering. The venue is also pushing for solar panels at the Gurdwara and for worshippers to walk to prayers.

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UK households are subject to national laws governing the use of fireworks, but local authorities have the power to change these if required. National regulations state that fireworks should not be set off between 11pm and 7am, however there are extended allowances for Bonfire Night, New Year's Eve, Chinese New Year, and Diwali.

Kuldeep said: "We are working with Canal River Trust and our ethos on the Sikh faith is the practical side. Guru Nanak taught us to look after nature so we saw the light show as a good opportunity.

"Galton Bridge is our history in the Black Country and a listed structure, so to light that up was incredible. It is important to work with the community and not just sit within our four walls.

"We told the congregation about it and tickets sold out within a day, I estimate we had 300 to 350 people and families attend. Fireworks are big for communities but even in the Punjab they are trying to move away from it, although we know it is hard to stop. Plus with fireworks they can cause a lot of waste.

"We are looking into 208 watt solar panels at the Gurdwara and all religious buildings should try to lower their carbon footprint. We can walk to prayers or take public transport, use electric vehicles more. You can even walk along the canal."

The event was scheduled a little after Diwali to minimise potential disruption to bat populations, whose activity decreases with colder weather. The Gurdwara had adopted a stretch of canal near Rolfe Street station and groups of youngsters from the 650 studying scripture at the Gurdwara school perform clean-ups and planting sessions.

EcoSikh also contributed to the display, an inter-faith environmentalist group inspired by the teachings of the first guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji. His quote they live by is: 'Air is our Guru, water is our father, the earth is our mother. They give us life, we sleep in their laps night and day, in which the entire world plays.'