Don’t fear the light

Jerome Teelucksingh

DIVALI IS no longer restricted to India, but now has a global impact and is celebrated in countries such as Mauritius, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal and Bhutan.

In Canada and the US, with sizeable Hindu diasporas, there are also celebrations that include lighting of deyas, sharing of food, singing, music, and dancing.

In our multicultural and racially diverse society, Divali is embraced and appreciated by most citizens.

In the 21st century, thousands of baked deyas are sold throughout the Caribbean. Some people use deyas with wax, while others use electric lights.

However, this was not always the norm. During the covid19 pandemic, many Divali celebrations were smaller owing to unemployment and the general state of the economy.

During the indentureship era, there were few skilled potters in the Caribbean. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Hindus were creative and some baked their crudely constructed, handmade deyas in the sun. And these deyas were often made of white clay. Also, deyas were lit in empty coconut shells

The major newspaper in the colony of Trinidad, the Port of Spain Gazette, in 1897 recorded one of the early observances: "In many parts of Trinidad, at Tunapuna especially, the Hindus celebrated their feast of Divali, and all the houses and places of business of prominent Hindus were illuminated…”

In November 1997, Surujrattan Rambachan, in a newspaper article, noted the positive impact of Divali Nagar as it fostered the “national acceptance of the Hindu religious festival of Divali, as well as Hinduism.”

This well-known festival celebrates the victory of Ram over Ravan and the return of Ram, Lakshman and Sita to Ayodhya.

In October 2022, Anantanand Rambachan, professor of religion at St Olaf College in the US, noted the relevance of the festival: “We cannot celebrate Divali as the return of Rama without being concerned about the reality of poverty, illiteracy, disease and violence in our world. If God’s purpose in the world is accomplished through us and in co-operation with us, it is also true that this work requires our co-operation with each other.”

One of the symbols of Divali is the lotus flower in which Mother Lakshmi stands. The lotus is a beautiful flower facing the light, yet standing with its roots in murky, muddy water. Unfortunately, some of our citizens in poverty endure a murky existence and bleak future.

One of the themes of Divali which is symbolised by the lighting of the deyas is the celebration of light over darkness. According to Hindu philosophy, Mother Lakshmi, the goddess venerated and worshipped, is the dispeller of darkness. Divali night is the darkest night of the Hindu month of Kartik.

Many non-Hindus are appreciative of a major teaching of Divali – good over evil or light over darkness. Major world religions also emphasise the struggle between good and evil.

This defeat of evil/darkness is not limited to the philosophical or spiritual. It is an ongoing, real struggle and we need to be ever vigilant of the many forms of evil in TT. Some of us have become increasingly tolerant of the darkness, while others do not acknowledge it. Others have accepted evil as normal.

We must neither be complacent nor fear the light. Here in TT there is a troubling darkness as we endure a high number of murders, incidents of religious discrimination, addictions, uncaring politicians, child abuse, and racism. These are all part of the darkness that has enveloped the Caribbean.

Divali is a time for introspection. In 1975, Trevor Sudama, writing in the Battlefront, felt the importance of Divali was the “feeling of spiritual rejuvenation which the true Hindu experiences.”

In 2016, Pandit Bramdeo Maharaj of the TT Pandits Parishad believed that Divali is a time to “be reminded that there is greater strength and power in unity.”

Divali should remind us of our inner light and rekindle our faith and spirituality. In 2008, in the local Swaagatam magazine, Sri Vasudeva felt the message of Divali was “liberation from ignorance” and “realisation of our true or spiritual self.”

Similarly, in 2014, Swamini Jai Sathya wrote that during Divali we have to learn the “simple method of living and discovering our inner light.”

Last year, Dr Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana, stated that Divali was a “reminder that prosperity is not merely material wealth, but a shared abundance of joy, unity, and goodwill.”

Such reflections reinforce the view that we must not fear any light that shows us the paths of peace and harmony.