Dear Editor,
The announcement of the Miss Diwali pageant has been met by opposition from individuals and religious groups who have asked that Diwali be recognized as a religious festival which celebrates universal spiritual values and none of the obsessions with the physical body which pageants promote.

Diwali is a reminder to us, forgotten in the past years in Guyana, that Mother Lakshmi is manifested in every women, regardless of her age or her marital status or her looks or her physical abilities. Diwali reminds us of our humanity, and of the qualities on which we will be judged. The Miss Diwali pageant promotes a set of values about glamour and elegance and it makes young women the objects of such pursuits.

To my astonishment businesses are supporting this upcoming event even though it has nothing to do with the real significance of Diwali. The committee is focusing more on women dressed up and paraded on a stage rather than the spiritual aspect of Diwali, and if this continues in years to come the real meaning of Diwali would gradually fade away.
There are many other cultural and educational events in mandirs and schools, in which all persons, regardless of their gender or age can participate.

We therefore call on the organisers and their supporters to desist from using Diwali as a basis for this event and our Lakshmis not to be carried away by the materialistic things that will be offered. We therefore hope that the organisers and their supporters in the private sector use their resources instead to help promote the values of Diwali and the Hindu faith.
Yours faithfully,
Pandit Amit Persaud