Bonfire Night

Bonfire Night is celebrated in the United Kingdom to celebrate the thwarting of the Gunpowder Plot on 5th November 1605. The Gunpowder Plot saw several conspirators try to assassinate King James I because of religious differences. James became king in 1603 after the death of Queen Elizabeth I, who was a protestant. His reign startedContinue reading “Bonfire Night”

Holidays on 3rd November

Dominica Independence Day This day marks independence from the United Kingdom in 1978. The Spanish first found the island, but didn’t make a serious effort to colonise due to a lack of national resources. The French showed an interest in the 17th century and established the first permanent European settlement in 1690. British gained possessionContinue reading “Holidays on 3rd November”

Holidays on 1st November

Antigua & Barbuda Independence Day This marks the country’s independence from the United Kingdom on 1st November 1981. The British arrived with sailors from St. Kitts in 1632, founding a settlement at Falmouth on the south coast. It formally became a British colony in 1667, from 1685 until 1860 the island of Barbuda was leasedContinue reading “Holidays on 1st November”

Diwali

Diwali is a festival of lights celebrated by Hindus. The festival usually lasts five days and celebrated during the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika (between Mid-October and mid-November). It symbolises the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.” It is associated with Lakashmi, goddess of prosperity, and also a celebrationContinue reading “Diwali”

Holidays on 14th August

Pakistan Independence Day It commemorates the day when Pakistan acheived independence and was declared a sovereign state in 1947 following the end of British Raj. It came into existence as a result of the Pakistan Movement, which aimed for the creation of an independence Muslim state in the north-western regions of British India via partition.Continue reading “Holidays on 14th August”