Multicultural carolling with Great Western Railway

Passengers travelling through London Paddington between 1600 and 1800 on Saturday 3 December will be treated to the sounds of the Ethnic Indian Marathi Community singing traditional carols in Hindi and Marathi, bringing a unique and colourful spin on an age-old Christmas custom.

More than 80 members of the South Asian group, made up of rail and NHS colleagues from across the UK, including Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester, will be dressed in traditional Indian dress as they sing classic western carols and traditional Indian songs.

GWR Customer Ambassador, Madhuri Kulkarni, who is based at Paddington station and part of the group, came up with the idea as a way of bringing together the communities GWR serves.

Madhuri said:

“Christmas is a time for all communities to celebrate being together with friends and family, especially after a tough couple of years being kept apart.

“Singing traditional carols while we wear our traditional dress brings together two cultures to create the most uplifting atmosphere.

“We hope our singing will bring a smile to the faces of everyone who is passing through Paddington, whether they’re visiting friends and family, or just doing a bit of Christmas shopping.”