With the Ramadan lights over London’s West End having just been illuminated last week, another tranquil display of Ramadan well-wishes has arrived in London. Over in Marble Arch, Edgware Road’s first-ever Ramadan lights display has just arrived, and it’s a stunning, heart-warming sight.
This past weekend marked the start of Ramadan (March 10), and London is lighting up to celebrate. And now, an illuminated crescent moon has arrived at Edgware Road’s Nutford Place. The new Ramanda lights display is also interactive, with a walkthrough aspect to it that makes for a great photo opportunity.
The Ramadan lights
Standing 2.9 metres tall, it’s an impressive display, lit up with warm white LED lights and gold insets. The display also features a message of blessings and goodwill: “Ramadan Mubarak”. Lighting up every day from 6am – 11pm, the display will be in place throughout the month of Ramadan, until April 10.
The Marble Arch London BID (Business Improvement District) has partnered with The Portman Estate on the display to celebrate Edgware Road’s diversity. The area is a common site for many observers of Ramanda to flock to as they break their fast. The area boasts everything from “Lebanese and Turkish cuisine to Iraqi, Egyptian and Indian fare”.
Community and business leaders were on hand for the lights to be turned on. These included Councillor Md Shamsed Chowdhury, lead member for Edgware Road, Aisha Desai, founder of Ramadan Lights, and members of the local business community.
Said Aisha Desai, Founder of Ramadan Lights:
“When we started Ramadan Lights in 2020, our simple hope was to share the warmth and beauty of our faith with friends, family, and neighbours. Now, only four years later, the idea has grown beyond our wildest dreams, with Ramadan lights set to sparkle in Cologne, Oslo, Brisbane and across our great city of London. Edgware Road, with its rich diversity of cultures, is the perfect place for Ramadan lights. I salute Marble Arch London BID and The Portman Estate for celebrating with London’s Muslim community.”
Previous light displays
Ramadan lights went up in the West End for the first time just last year. And it was all the work of Aisha Desai, who started campaigning for the lights three years earlier. Funded entirely by donations, the campaign has also previously funded Ramadan light displays on Henley’s Corner and in Trafalgar Square.
It’s not the first impressive display to land in Marble Arch, either. The Marble Arch London BID also funds the Edgware Road Christmas lights each year, and in 2023 a 16-foot replica of the St Edward’s Crown landed in the area to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III.
📍 You can find the Ramadan lights display at Nutford Place, W1H 5HA. The nearest stations are Marble Arch and Edgware Road.
Read more about the Ramadan Lights initiative here and keep up to date with the Ramadan timetable via the Islamic Relief site.