Editorial One
Our front page story has all the makings of diverse opinions, emotions and discard; anyone perceiving the issue from the outside would say that it is much ado about nothing.
Our report would hopefully provide a balance of views but our stand is clear: to forgive is a virtue that is as important as ensuring that those forgiven do not repeat the mistake.
Diwali is all about love, giving and sharing joy, not misunderstanding.
Festive Mood
A world that is troubled, tormented and turbulent awaits a season that besets people in a festive mode, forgetting for a while at least their bellicose tendencies and rejoice.
A world that constantly witnesses natural and manmade disasters looks upon that period of the year when men and women ignore their differences and come together to share a few moments of laughter.
A world that triggers more hatred than love welcomes festivities that would motivate even adversaries to lay down their arms and embraces each other in friendship.
In short, we look forward to that time of the year when there is more hope than despair, more light than darkness and more guffaws than wails.
In a few weeks, Hindus will mark Dussera (and Diwali alongside it, which sparked all the controversy) and thereafter Diwali, the Festival of Lights.
A few weeks thereafter, the Christian community would mark Christmas.
And people from a number of other faiths would also observe their annual feasts.
Promoting Peace
What does that mean?
Quite simply the fact that all of us were born to live together in peace and harmony and not to fight, challenge and destroy each other.
The festive season denotes the triumph of good over evil so that ordinary people like us could lead a life of contentment and happiness.
That’s what every religion signifies in its message to people on every occasion.
That men and women were born into this world to spread love, not hatred, peace, not war and goodwill and not discord.
And that’s what each of us should strive towards.
Take Diwali (or ‘Deepavali,’ in its original form, meaning ‘A row of Lights’), for instance. For thousands of years, Hindus have believed in the spirit and belief behind this occasion-they have seen it as a Festival of Lights, with darkness giving way to eternal sunshine and happiness.
It is seen as a light of hope rekindled, with everyone transported to Cloud Nine.
Here in New Zealand, the Festival of Lights is an event that has the participation of at least three City Councils (Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch) and a host of government and non-government bodies and private organisations.
While we should preserve our values, we should also allow others to mark the occasion with whole-hearted cooperation.
Next year would be different – at least in Auckland.
