Blacktown City Diwali Lights competition 3-peat!

Published on 24 November 2020

The Sadhu family from Bungarribee has been announced as the overall winner of the Blacktown City 2020 Diwali Lights Competition, for the third year running.

The ancient Hindu festival of Diwali celebrates the victory of light over darkness, with observers around the world lighting lamps and candles in and around homes and temples.

Announcing the winner, Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale, OAM, said, “Our City is one of the most culturally diverse cities in Australia and is home to more than 83,000 people of Indian descent.”

“This year, COVID-19 resulted in our public Diwali celebrations being restricted however families and indeed streets celebrated by ‘turning on’ incredible light displays at their own homes.

“It is a tribute to all the families who entered this year’s competition during difficult times. My wife Nina and I met the finalists during the judging and many of them said that Diwali this year was truly a celebration of emerging from the darkness of COVID into the light of better times.” Mayor Bleasdale said.

This year’s Blacktown City Lights competition was definitely a year of repeats.

Not only did the Sadhu family win first place for the third year, but the overall second place getter was the Kadukar family from Schofields who filled the same position last year.

In third place overall was the Upadhyay from The Ponds who also filled the same position last year.

All three winning families were also named as the best Diwali lights display in their respective Council wards, with the Vekaria family of Maryong and the Brambhatt family of Glendenning being named winners in the their wards.

Ward Street Schofields certainly turned on the lights this year, with the Kadukar family filling second place, the street being named ‘Best Diwali street’ for the second year running and the Kadukar’s neighbours, the Hukkeri family providing the best Rangoli display for the year.

A total of $2,500 cash prizes was distributed among the winners. The Diwali Lights competition is organised by Blacktown City Council in association with Indian Link Media Group.

 Photo: Mayoress Nina Bleasdale and Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM, join the Sadhu family outside their Bungarribee home.