Venkat Raman –
Sartorial resplendency, fireworks, sweets, fun, frolic, music, goodwill and family get-together are all a part of the festival of lights celebrated throughout the world. To millions of Hindus, Diwali denotes a new year, a new lease of life, new hopes and new dreams.
As cosmopolitan society, New Zealanders joined the small but well meaning and well knit Hindus in celebrating the festival, although somewhat conditioned by the events of September 11 and economic downturn. But the spirit of the day loomed large and it was common to see people exchanging sweets and greetings.
How will the world celebrate the event this year? As it is often said, there is much more to Diwali than feasting and merrymaking. It is a holy tradition, symbolising the victory of light over darkness and celebration of wealth and prosperity. Over the years, it has transcended limits of nationality and even religion. Here is a brief account of the festival as celebrated in Australia, Britain, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Australia
Australians have learnt to celebrate the festival with the same gusto as other Christian occasions, with an estimated 500,000 Indians settled in the country. Due to the large number of Hindu here, Diwali is one of the festivals that is celebrated with enthusiasm. The lightening of lamps and diyas is a common practice. The festival is marked by lightening of earthen lamps in rows making images out of the rows. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped as the Giver of wealth and crackers are burnt to scare away evil spirits.
Britain:
Indians constitute the second largest ethnic minority in Britain and Diwali marks a major festival throughout the Kingdom. The festivities include exchange of special sweets, burning of incense sticks, lighting the home and surroundings with little oil lamps and the blowing of the conch shell following prayers at the Lakshmi temple. The festival here is celebrated according to the Hindu solar calendar hence it falls in the month of November, one of the cold, damp and windy months in Britain. And yet, enthusiasm runs high.
Canada
Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper marks Diwali in Canadian Parliament
Japan:
Japan, the land of the rising sun also celebrates Diwali with the belief that the day would also be the dawn of happiness, progress, prosperity and longevity. The festival here is celebrated in a unique way that is not common in India. Here the people go out into the orchards and gardens and hang lanterns and paper made hanging structures on the branches of trees. Dance and music continues throughout the night. Putting on new clothes and going for boating and broom cleaning of the house are also some of the other related activities of the festival. The places of worship are decorated with beautiful wallpapers to bring in the festive mood and the auspicious beliefs related to the festival.
Malaysia:
Fascinating in its diversity, Malaysia has many mesmerising charms and attractions. With a population of about 20 million, comprising a harmonious multi-ethnic mix of Malays, Malaysia promises a colorful potpourri of culture traditions. Most are based on the various religions practices, beliefs and traditions influencing the costumes, festival, ceremonies and rituals. The Hindu community of Malaysia constitutes about 8% of its total population. The community celebrates Diwali as a symbol of triumph of good over evil. The Malaysian people call Diwali as Hari Diwali. This festival is celebrated during the 7th month of the Hindu solar calendar. The South Indian tradition of oil bath precedes the festivities. The celebration includes visits to temples and prayers at household altars. Small lamps made from clay and filled with coconut oil and wicks are a common sight to signify the victory of Lord Rama, the hero of the Hindu epic Ramayana, over the demon king Ravana. Diwali is celebrated almost all over Malaysia except in Sarawak & Federal Territory of Labuan.
Singapore
Diwali celebration holds a significant place in the calendar of festivals of Singapore. The festival of lights is popularly known here as Deepavali, reflecting the Tamil influence. ‘Deepam’ and ‘voli’, two Tamil words signify ‘lamp and ‘light’. Festivities run close to those back home in India with a public holiday.
Special programmes would be broadcast on radio and television, while resorts such as the Santosa Island attract thousands of families.
South Africa:
South African culture is a mix of variety of cultures and the country once housed the largest immigrant Indian community in the world. The immigrant Indians account of almost one million in the country, 65% of whom are Hindus and hence Diwali holds an important place in the festival calendar. The celebration is more or less same to that of India. Most of the Hindus here are from Gujarat and Tamilnadu and continue to follow their regional variations of Hinduism.
Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka has a place in the great Indian epic of Ramayana and as such Diwali has special significance. The festival is marked by illumination, making of toys of enamel and making of figures out of crystal sugar popularly known as Misiri. The sugar crystals take the place of sweets. Burning of crackers in the evening of the festival is a common practice of this festival.
Thailand:
Diwali is celebrated in Thailand under the name of Lam Kriyongh during October-November. The festival follows the Indian pattern with Diyas made of banana leaves decorating homes with lit candles, a coin and incense. These are set afloat on a river, which gives a wonderful view together on the water. The festival is not an extravagant affair. People greet each other and wish them happy returns of the day. Distribution of sweets is a common practice on this day.
United States of America
Diwali in White House, USA
The presence of hundreds of thousands of people of Indian origin and the growing number of Hindus have made the US a home for Indian festivals and Diwali is celebrated with the same pomp and splendour as in India.
“The bone-dry twin city of Midland-Odessa in West Texas is not the place you would expect to see a dress rehearsal for Indian festivities. A mostly white city, in the oil-rich Permean Basin, it’s former President Bush’s home town, where the only rhythm you heard till a few years back was the squeaking of the oil rigs pumping out black gold. It is also far away from the typical Indian enclaves of New Jersey and the San Francisco Bay Area, not to speak of India itself,” writes Chidanand Rajghatta in The Hindustan Times.
Removed thousands of miles from home, the rapidly growing Indian Diaspora, helped by collapsing distances and increasing numbers, is getting closer to its roots or at least attempting to in its own kitschy way. And it does not get bigger than Diwali. This year, the Indian-American community in the US was emboldened enough to ask Bush if he could celebrate Diwali in the White House. “Send me the details and what it involves, Bush responded and I’ll look into it,” he said.
Typically, the families gather at a local temple (often makeshift) or a high school auditorium. They put the kids, most of them American born, through the dandiya and bhangra paces. A lot of it is a Bollywood spin-off. Last year, the Midland-Odessa desis had the girls performing raas garba, while the boys went for a number from Lagaan, complete with village India ensemble worn by the Aamir Khan Eleven.
It has also a season of concerts, with some of the biggest names from India performing during the festive month.
