Diwali at Kedleston Hall: Honouring heritage with art, light and tradition

LAST year, we celebrated the season of light at Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire.

Diwali is a festival synonymous with love, light, joy, happiness, family times, fun and games. It is that time of the year when winter is setting in, the days are dark and grey.

The twinkling diyas and the vibrant hues of orange, red, yellow and rust in the form of rangoli patterns add a touch of festivity and cheer.

Kedleston, a neoclassical Robert Adam legacy, boasts opulence and grandeur. The stunning marble hall, the grand saloon and the bedroom all add to the element of the power of art and design.

The hall also houses a museum of about 1,150 objects acquired by Lord Curzon, the viceroy of India between 1899 and 1905. He was responsible for the partition of Bengal, so, understandably, there is shared dark history between India and Kedleston.

This link to India and the collection has inspired me in my vision of Diwali.

In 2023, we celebrated with the house being partially open. There were rangoli patterns, light projections and terracotta lanterns, and the 3,000 shola pith flowers made by gifted craftspeople from West Bengal (ironically, the state that Curzon partitioned).

This year they form the piece de resistance in the form of a rangoli that adorns the grand marble hall at Kedleston.

Diwali, for me, is more cultural than religious. As a festival, it is celebrated by most faiths and states in India.

My father insisted we keep the doors and windows open in the house to let Goddess Laxmi (the goddess of prosperity) in to bless us with her bounty.

Diwali in Kedleston this year has come very quickly, but with a few glitches. We had maintenance issues on site that led to house being closed for about 10 days with no visitors or volunteers being allowed on site. This meant Diwali preparations were down to a miniscule team of staff.

My vision has come to life, but without our amazing volunteers as their safety and care is our main concern. However, the hundreds of marigolds and paper flowers at Kedleston were painstakingly crafted through the course of the year.

For the first time in Kedleston we have “liberated” our museum collection of brass lamps that have been encased in glass cases. These now form the central display of the rangoli in Ceaser’s Hall and the dining table display, which has been set for a traditional, grand Indian meal. The table has been adorned by bespoke linen to match the carpet and the decor of the dining room.

Ceaser’s hall has been bedecked with rangoli made of hand-crafted, woollen garlands made by volunteers and community members last year.

The museum has a beautiful peacock projection which echoes the famous peacock dress worn by Mary Curzon.

The grand staircase has another peacock projection and this leads to the main event.

The marble hall rangoli is adorned by the handcrafted shola pith flowers and blue marigolds. I have followed the natural pattern of the honeysuckle inlaid with marble.

The grand saloon has been set like a games room with giant board games where visitors can engage over a game of Samp Seedi (Snakes and Ladders) and Pachisi (a traditional version of Ludo). Incidentally, both these games originated in India.

This leads to the dressing room with a bespoke photo booth, and then to the dining table. The brass diner service on the table came from Zirakpur in Punjab.

Kedleston opened last month and the feedback has been brilliant. The house and hall have never looked more beautiful and inviting.

It is time to acknowledge the past, learn lessons from history and share narratives that have not been shared till now. Diwali is a good start.

We’re open until November 10 and look forward to welcoming visitors.

(Simran Sandhu is senior programming and partnership officer at the National Trust)