A ‘One Guyana Diwali Jalsa’ is currently ongoing at the Corriverton Recreational Park, Region Six, and President Irfaan Ali at the opening ceremony on Tuesday evening said that the Jalsa provides a platform for cultural tourism and an opportunity to promote goodness and light to the world.
The Jalsa ends today.
According to Ali, the event holds great potential, and he wishes to see it be a staple on the calendar of national celebrations in addition to the Diwali motorcade.
Ali stressed that such events help in fostering cultural and religious appreciation and the realization of oneness and peace among the people. “This period of enlightenment will add to the richness of who we are as a people, will add to the closeness that we bring ourselves to in celebration of such a great festival”, he said.
He stated, that they are continuing off the very great tradition of many who came before pointing out that the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha has worked tremendously in building the annual motorcade that has become part of Guyana’s natural heritage in celebration of Diwali.
“This event that seeks to bring families together, this event that goes beyond the lighting of diyas, it goes to the foundation, the value system, the principles through which we celebrate Diwali and one of the things we want to do as a country and as a people is to celebrate together, to acknowledge together, and the only way we can do this is if we bring community life to everything we do and this is one of the greatness of these initiatives”, he said.
According to the President, the Diwali Jalsa and similar events involve the wider family which is the Guyanese community.
“It brings us together under different circumstances, under different roof, under different umbrellas to uplift each other, to support each other, and to share amongst each other the values of religious teachings, the values and principles of our cultural heritage, and allows us that scope through which we can understand each other better”, he stated.
He said that presently every single community across the country is benefiting from development through the government’s investments. He stated that in Region Six there have been tremendous investments by the government and private sector.
“Very early next year, you will have two fully functional call centres that will create close to 1000 jobs. You will have commencement of work on the expansion of your roadways. You will have your new stadium, you will have hotels and malls. You will have shore-base facilities; you will have investments that is linked to the energy sector. You will have expansion of agriculture; you will have expansion of the sugar industry but all of that adds to the economic prosperity of the people in the region but what adds to the human prosperity? That human prosperity that allows us to be thankful, that human prosperity that allows us to be respectful, that human prosperity that allows us to be true to our conscience, that human prosperity that allow us to be satisfied that does not come from monetary investment that comes from individual family and collective action through which we become each other’s keeper and through which we support each other”, he said.
As such, he stressed that the Diwali Jalsa is a celebration that will be continued in the coming years with people in and around Guyana planning their traveling to be present for it.
He then urged Guyanese in their celebration to be reflective and think about those who are unable to celebrate across the world and offer prayers for peace. “Let us not forget that we have this important global responsibility of praying for peace in every corner of this world.”
The Diwali Jalsa is supported by 26 Mandirs from across the ancient county of Berbice and allows patrons to experience the significance of the religious festival along with varying booths. According to Ali, the private sector informed him that they will be giving each Mandir $100,000 to support them for being part of the event.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Hindu Dhar-mic Sabha started its celebration for Diwali in Region Six with a ‘Deep Jale’ programne at the Indian Monument Site located in Palmyra, on Saturday, October 28, and Sunday, October 29.
