DIWALI SHUBH!  HAPPY DIWALI!

Oct 20, 2024 Consumer Concerns, News

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CONSUMER CONCERNS:

PAT  DIAL

Kaieteur News – Diwali only became a national holiday after Independence.  Before then, its celebration was confined almost wholly to the Indian Community.  With the advent of Independence, it was felt that the country would become more integrated and stronger if the various communities learnt more about and shared in each other’s cultures.  Thus Hindu and Muslim Holy Days which were confined to the Indian community were made into Public Holidays so that all communities could participate in them and Diwali was among the most important.

Its spiritual and religious as well as its celebratory aspects were universalistic so the whole nation could easily and happily participate in its celebrations.  Its message was that Light will prevail over Darkness, Truth over Untruth, Justice over Injustice, Unity over Disunity and Loving Kindness over hatred, anger and violence.  These spiritual teachings are manifested in the examples of human activity and the constant encounters between Human beings, Its celebratory aspects would include hospitality neighbours extend to each other and strangers, singing, dancing and music, decorations and bright  lights and colours pervading in homes and communities  with  diyas symbolising this.

The richest and most important aspect of Diwali is the traditions which have become attached to it as it moved through the millenia.  Though traditions differ, they are united in their teaching that Light will overcome Darkness and Good will always prevails over Evil.  The three traditions prevailing in Guyana are the return of Lord Rama from Banwas, his exile;  the killing of the evil demon Naraksura;  and the  overarching presence of Maha Lakshmi and the many virtues she personifies.

King Dasrath ruled over the prosperous kingdom of Ayodhya.  His three queens bore him three sons – Ram, Lakshman and Bharat.  The three sons, unlike their mothers, were very close to each other and shared a deep mutual love. The son who was to succeed to the throne was Ram who was very  popular and respected and was superlative in whatever activities  in which  he was engaged and everyone looked forward to Ram as Heir Apparent  except Bharat’s mother who desired her son to be king. She therefore manipulated the old and weak king to send Ram into exile far away into the deep jungle for 14 years in which time Bharat would rule the kingdom.

Bharat saw the injustice to which Ram was being subjected and refused to sit on the throne, placing Ram’s slippers on the pedestal and vowing that if Ram did not return at the end of the 14 years, he would take his own life.  Ram, his wife Sita and brother Lakshman then set out for their exile.  During his exile, Ram experienced many trials and dangers and these are recounted in the famous epic, the Ramayana.

At the end of fourteen years, the people of Ayodhya with great rejoicing lit up their homes and placed diyas along the streets to welcome Ram, Sita and Lakshman and this was the first Diwali which has been perpetuated over the last 5000 years.

The other Diwali tradition which Guyana commemorates is the story of Naraksura.  Naraksura had divine ancestry and had performed the most exacting of the tapasyas(penances) which made him of equal power to the Gods.  He approached Lord Bhrama and requested boons, as he was now privileged to do, and requested to be made immortal.  Lord Bhrama told him that the gift of immortality was forbidden but he could ask for any other.  He asked that he could only be killed by his mother, knowing that his mother would never kill him. He then took to a life of terrorising the inhabitants of the Heavens and Earth, committing massive atrocities until the people of Earth petitioned Lord Vishnu for salvation from the demon.  The only being that was able to match and eliminate the demon was Lord Krishna and the Gods importuned him to engage the demon.

In setting out to battle with Naraksura, Lord Krishna’s wife Satyabhama insisted that she accompany him, which he reluctantly allowed.  Krishna and Naraksura struggled for a very long time until Lord Krishna was able to cut off the demon’s five heads with his Vajra, his mysterious projectile weapon.  But Naraksura kept fighting on until Satyabhama shot him dead with her arrows. She was able to kill him because without being aware of it, she was the reincarnation of Naraksura’s mother.

The populations of the Heavens and Earth, being freed of this pervasive Evil were overjoyed and celebrated with illuminations and feasting and this  is perpetuated in present Diwali celebrations.  Naraksura, in his depredations, had kidnapped 16,000 women, who having been under the control of the demon, were considered outcasts and ostracized.  To rescue them from this terrible fate and rehabilitate them in Society, Lord Krishna married all 16,000.

More than the Naraksura tradition, the worship of Maha Lakshmi, permeates Diwali.  Maha Lakshmi personifies all that is good and pleasant and cultured in human life.  She personifies Light, Wisdom, Morality, prosperity, wealth and happy human relationships and people worship her at Diwali to elicit those qualities to themselves and their families. Diwali is celebrated with the same festivities as in the other traditions and Light and illuminations are particularly stressed as Lakshmi is the Deity who personifies the triumph of Light over darkness.  On Diwali night doors are kept open so as to allow Maha Lakshmi to enter and at the same time to welcome guests.  Those who desire wealth or who generate it like the Business community, pay particular worship to Lakshmi on Diwali.

In Guyana all the main Diwali traditions merge: There is general house cleaning, attendance at Mandirs, visits by friends, exchange of sweetmeats, illuminations with diyas, fairy lights, Diwali songs and music.  A uniquely Guyanese Diwali celebration is the brightly lit Diwali processions with imaginative floats and music which occur on Diwali night or the night before in the three counties.  These processions attract thousands of viewers and participants of all ages, religions and races and act as a great integrating force in Guyana’s multi-ethnic, multi-cultural Society.

 

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• 5000 years, Banwas, Guyana, Naraksura's, neighbours, Ram, Sita

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