Shub Divali Hindus light up TT

Divali is observed on the new moon day (Amavasya, Amaavaasya) of the month of Kaartik (Kartik) in the Hindu calendar. It was proclaimed an annual public holiday in Trinidad and Tobago in 1966 and Hindus all over the country celebrate the occasion with the lighting of deyas.

According to scholars, the origins of Divali are based on harvesting festivals and legends of India. It symbolises that age-old culture of India which teaches us to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge.

While Divali is popularly known as the “festival of lights”, the most significant spiritual meaning is “the awareness of the inner light”. Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Divali is the celebration of this inner light, in particular the knowing of which outshines all darkness (removes all obstacles and dispels all ignorance), awakening the individual to one’s true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With the realisation of the Atman comes universal compassion, love, and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This brings Ananda (inner joy or peace).

The gunas are the underlying forces or tendencies which one needs to have an unaffected and direct relation with in order to find effectiveness and righteousness in life: they are lines of potential and illuminate thought and action, thus the inner meaning of Divali being the festival of lights.

Divali celebrates this through festive fireworks, lights, flowers, sharing of sweets and worship.

Hindus have several significant events associated with the festival. One is the return of Rama, King of Ayodhya, with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana to Ayodhya after a 14 year exile, and a war in which he killed Ravana.

It is believed that the people of Ayodhya lit lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness.

For some Hindus Divali also commemorates the killing of Narakasura, an evil demon who created havoc, by Krishna’s wife Satyabhama. In another version, the demon was killed by Krishna (Krishna provokes his wife Satyabhama to kill Narakasura defeating Indra). Govardhan Puja is celebrated the day after Deepavali. It is the day Krishna defeated Indra, the deity of thunder and rain.

Krishna saw huge preparations for the annual offering to Lord Indra and questions his father Nanda about it. He debated with the villagers about what their “dharma” truly was.

They were farmers, they should do their duty and concentrate on farming and protection of their cattle. He continued to say that all human beings should merely do their “karma”, to the best of their ability and not pray for natural phenomenon.

The villagers were convinced by Krishna, and did not proceed with the special puja (prayer). Indra was then angered, and flooded the village. Krishna then lifted Mt Govardhan and held it up as protection to his people and cattle from the rain.

Indra finally accepted defeat and recognised Krishna as supreme.

This aspect of Krishna’s life is mostly glossed over but it set up the basis of the “karma” philosophy later detailed in the Bhagavat Gita.

For most Trinbagonians, the highpoint of tomorrow’s celebrations will be the many exotic displays of Divali lights at venues throughout the country. The lighting of deyas will take place from sunset.