THE Swan Festival of Lights is soon to brighten up the Perth foreshore to mark the Indian festival Deepavali, which celebrates the the triumph of light over darkness.

In its eighth year in Perth (but old beyond reckoning), the ancient Hindu festival commemorates Lord Rama and his wife Sita returning to Ayodhua after exhile. They came back during a dark night so the local people lit lamps so they could find their way.

• From last year’s Deepavali Festival.

Last year 30,000 people came down across the festival to check out the art, music, food and dance from traditional to Bollywood, and this year the focus will be on the Indian state of Gujarat with their culture and cuisine taking centre stage.

This year the Temple of Fine Arts will be performing dances and music from their version of the Indian epic Ramayana, which tells the tale of Rama’s return. The free festival runs Nov 6– 8 in the Supreme Court Gardens from 6.30pm.

by DAVID BELL