Dear Editor,

The Hindu festival of lights was brought to Jamaica by Hindus who came to these parts as indentured labourers in the year 1845. Hindu Jamaicans will join their brothers and sisters across the Caribbean today, November 2, to celebrate the auspicious occasion of Diwali. It is celebrated with the performance of Lakshme Pooja (worship unto the Goddess of light,wealth,and prosperity) and, at nightime, thousands of earthen lamps, called diyas, are lit to dispell darkness. Darkness here includes both physical and mental darkness in the form of ignorance.

Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps, diyas or deyas filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. During Diwali, all the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends. Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Rama, along with Sita and Lakshmana, from his 14-year-long exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana.

For Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes. In joyous celebration of the return of their king, the people of Ayodhya, the Capital of Rama, illuminated the kingdom with earthen diyas and burst firecrackers. In each legend, tradition and story of Diwali lays the significance of the victory of good over evil; and it is with each light that illuminate our homes and hearts, that this simple truth finds new reason and hope.

From darkness into light — the light that empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds, that which brings us closer to divinity. The celebration of Diwali as the ‘victory of good over evil’ refers to the light of higher knowledge dispelling all ignorance, the ignorance that masks one’s true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, imminent and transcendent reality. With this awakening comes compassion and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge).

Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Diwali is the celebration of this inner light. While the story behind Diwali and the manner of celebration varies from region to region (festive fireworks, worship, lights, sharing of sweets), the essence is the same — to rejoice in the inner light (Atman) or the underlying reality of all things (Brahman).

Major celebrations in St Andrew will take place at Club India and Sanatan Dharma Mandir. Shubh Diwali 2013!

Andrew King

abking020@gmail.com