Diwali at Global Village Dubai: Rangoli, fireworks and festive markets

Dubai: Global Village is alive with colour and celebration as its Diwali festivities run until October 23, culminating in fireworks shows on Friday and Saturday. At the heart of the celebrations is a Diwali mela, featuring rangoli-making, vibrant shopping stalls, and a lively crowd soaking in the sights and sounds of the festival.

Among the crowd, a group of women - Neha, Shannon, Shubhagi, Aboli and Amrita, all UAE residents originally from India - are carefully painting a rangoli pattern.

“Traditionally, we use coloured powder, but with the wind today, we’re painting it instead,” explained Shannon. “We have a five-year contract to do this every Diwali at Global Village. Our plan is to finish the entire rangoli by Thursday, October 23. It’s really fun to create it and have people watch and ask questions, it’s our way of sharing our culture with the world.”

The mela is not just about culture but also about commerce and community. Many vendors come from India each season, often spending major festivals away from their families. On Monday, the official day of Diwali, many families were at home, yet the India Pavilion at Global Village buzzed with activity.

Sanjay Mathur from Gujarat, who has been a vendor at Global Village since 1997, set up a shopping cart for the festival.

“I started when Global Village was still in its early days. Over the years, it has grown enormously in size and popularity,” he said. “It’s hard to celebrate Diwali away from family, but Global Village has become like my family. I’m used to it now.”

Meena Bhatt from Rajasthan, selling traditional bangles, earrings and jewellery since 2017, echoed the sentiment.

“My heart is with my family, but I really enjoy selling my items here and interacting with people from all over the world. You don’t feel lonely or homesick while you’re here,” she said.

The India Pavilion has seen particularly strong footfall over the past weekend, as shoppers stocked up for Diwali.

Ravi Bhatt, a vendor from Gujarat whose store has been at Global Village for nearly 26 years, specialises in artificial gold-plated jewellery and chains.

“We had many customers over the weekend, both Indian and international. Indian shoppers usually buy our gold-plated pieces, while visitors from other countries prefer silver, diamond or lighter designs,” he said. Prices range from Dh100 to Dh500 depending on the material and design.

Another stall selling saris and textiles reported similar demand.

Abdul Sitar, who has been running his stall in the India Pavilion for nearly 20 years, said, “Our sequin saris and Kashmiri handwork textiles are our most popular items for Diwali.”

Mohammad, another vendor at the same store, added, “We charge by the metre and are offering discounted rates for the whole season,” noting that the weekend had been especially busy.

From rangoli-making to shopping for festive décor and jewellery, Global Village provides a colourful and immersive Diwali experience for residents and visitors alike. For the vendors, it is a chance to celebrate tradition, connect with the public, and turn the festival into a vibrant showcase of culture and community in the heart of Dubai.