In partnership with JSK
Saturday 14 November 2026 6.30 for 7pm
Pittville Pump Room
in partnership with the Cheltenham Trust
Diwali by Candlelight will be a magical introduction to live Indian classical music and dance in the beautiful setting of Cheltenham’s historic Pittville Pump Room. There will be delicious food, the live artwork of Ritu Sood and more! And it’s all in aid of the Mayor’s three charities.
This will be a wonderful way to mark the season of the Hindu festival of light, Diwali, celebrated all over India and the world. Amongst many other traditions and ceremonies Diwali is marked by small traditional candles or diyas lighting the way home and they will provide the backdrop to the performances.
A mouth-watering buffet of authentic Indian street food will be provided at the Pump Room by Mumbai n Co. There will be plenty of vegetarian options.
Book tickets for Diwali by Candlelight now through the Cheltenham Trust website here. £48.50 per head (plus a £3 booking charge).
The artists:
Dinesh Patel sitar
Dinesh was born and raised in Cheltenham to Indian parents and has always been surrounded by Indian culture and artifacts. He has a mix of eastern and western cultural influences in his work. Music and art are his passion, having studied sitar at the Kalavant Center for Music and Dance in New York. Music began to influence his artwork greatly in the form of mandala and fluidity in drawing styles. A lot of his artwork is made up from things around the house and discarded items repurposed in an art form.
With a 20 year plus career as a Graphic/Web Designer and an active interest in music, Dinesh has a understanding of different artforms and media. As well as the importance of cultural integration within communities and societies for them to thrive. He was an artist in residence at The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum in Cheltenham as part of the ‘We are Creators’ programme in 2023 and a member of their Creative Community Panel.
As a Sitar player, Dinesh has been a member of the Cheltenham Improvisers Orchestra and a sitar teacher in Cheltenham.
Bandarjit Neer tabla
Bhindarjit Neer is one of the finest tabla exponents in the UK. He is one of the few artists who is recognised for being a prolific soloist as well as versatile accompanist. He has accompanied many legendary artists from South Asia and performed various Tabla solos throughout Europe.
Apart from keeping up the tradition of playing tabla solos, Bhindarjit uses his artistry to work with musicians from various backgrounds, ranging from traditional Indian classical to Western classical musicians to create fusion and interesting ensemble performances.
Whilst having a scholastic approach he continues to teach this beautiful art form for Leicestershire Music Service and Loughborough Schools Music.
Preeti Mahenthran bharatnatyam dance & flute
Preeti Mahenthran has been learning bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Smt Usha Raghavan from the age of 5. She had her arangetram in 2017 and has performed extensively across the globe since. She has performed in prestigious events & venues in London including Sadler’s Wells, The Lowry, Trafalgar Square, House of Commons, celebrations by the River Thames and the Sri Lankan High Commission.
Most recently, Preeti presented a bharatanatya margam raising funds for the charity Make A Difference Sri Lanka, which contributes to helping those in need to create a livelihood for themselves, mainly in the Northern & Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka.
Preeti is a holistic artist who is not only a bharatanatyam dancer, but also a Carnatic Flautist and Vocalist too, and enjoys using her practice in the three arts to connect music and movement together.
Dr Gayathiri Gowri Shankar bharatnatyam dance
Dr Gayathiri Gowri Shankar has been awarded the prestigious title ‘Natya Kala Nipuna’ by the Oriental Fine Arts Academy of London (OFAAL), in recognition of her significant contribution to Indian performing arts, particularly bharatanatyam. The title was presented to Dr Gowri Shankar during the OFAAL Annual Graduation Ceremony 2026 in February, recognising her dedication to promoting, teaching and performing bharatanatyam and her commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists in the UK.
Driven by her passion for dance and the preservation of traditional Indian performing arts, Dr Gayathiri founded Nethra Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Gloucestershire in 2018. The academy provides training in bharatanatyam, Carnatic vocal and mridangam, creating opportunities for students in Gloucestershire to learn and develop their skills in traditional Indian arts.
Dr Gayathiri holds several Bharatanatyam titles from India and UK. She is one of the finalists for Dance Teacher of the Year 2026 – UK Dance Awards.
Jack Jennings guitar
Jack Jennings is a disciple of world-renowned sitarists Roopa Panesar and Shakir Parvez Khan, who have guided him to develop a deep classically-rooted approach, while exploring the potential of the guitar as a new voice within Indian classical music.
He has worked closely with other renowned Indian Classical musicians such as Pandit Sanju Sahai, Manish Pingle and Gurdain Rayatt. His collaboration with Omar Puente on electric violin explores different sides of Indo-Jazz-Rock Fusion with intricate arrangements and high energy performances. His new album ‘Allied with Nature’ with The Listening Planet project blends nature soundscapes with Indian classical ragas, as if they always belonged together.
Ainkaran Sivaji violin
Ainkaran Sivaaji is a children’s book author, violinist, singer, dancer and orator. An alumnus of the University of Manchester, his interests span history, literature, spirituality, theatre, dance and music composition/performance.
A trained stage performer from the age of five, Ainkaran has been engaging national audiences since an award-winning performance at the Brent Festival of Music and Dance in 1994. His dynamic range as a performer-composer brings an authenticity and versatility to his stories. Ainkaran’s new writing rests on hypotheses that his discoveries on ancient civilisations propose, which he hopes can help shape healthier hearts and minds.
Vijeyarajha mridangam
Mr. Vijeyarajha is a highly accomplished and respected guru with over 40 years of experience. He has accompanied many leading artist from south India and performed in numerous recital concerts and dance performances around Europe particularly in France, Switzerland and U.K.
Ritu Sood painting
Ritu Sood’s artworks are centred in a lifelong study of the emotive power of nature’s colours, our innate reading of the body and a naturalist’s eye. Her art takes you on a journey of emotional experiences, states of being and the quiet power of beauty. Sood’s artworks act as ‘portals’ into seeing what connects us and are rooted in a profound political sensibility.
Ritu Sood gained a Master’s degree in Painting from the Slade School of Art, London, studying Fine Art at Chelsea School of Art and Norwich School of Art before that. Sood’s paintings are widely regarded as eloquent commentaries on human experience. Several poignant solo exhibitions and numerous group exhibitions have established Sood’s reputation for sensitive and powerful work. Her paintings are held in national and international public and private collections.
Acclaimed British Indian artist Ritu Sood will be creating live paintings in response to the dances. Her ‘Resonances’ artworks will also be exhibited and available to purchase. www.ritu-sood.com @ritusoodart
We are very grateful to JSK for kindly sponsoring this event. JSK is an independent firm of Chartered Certified Accountants providing proactive accounting, taxation and business advisory services to individuals and businesses across the UK. They combine technical expertise with a personal, responsive approach to help their clients achieve their goals. Their services include statutory accounts, corporation tax, bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, self-assessment, company secretarial, tax planning and business advisory. Find out more here.
Parking
There is a borough council pay and display car park at the Pump Room which is chargeable until 8pm, although spaces may be limited. Pittville Pump Room is served by Stagecoach‘s D and E buses and until 1810 on Saturdays by Pulhams N bus.
There is a whole calendar of other mayoral fundraising events this year from Christmas Crackers to cold water swims!