Dear Editor,
As we celebrate Diwali, my thoughts would usually go back to my youthful days when my friends and I would travel from village to village absorbing the spectacular displays of the lighted diyas and fireworks, enjoying the delicacies prepared and shared by our Hindu neighbours. The Festival did assume national proportion and earned recognition as a larger number of Hindus and non –Hindus participated in the celebration and with greater fanfare so that it would be correct to say that Guyanese of all ethnicities looked forward to Diwali as they do to Christmas. The festival indeed became larger and the associated events and activities such as the motorcade and judging of Diwali contests were welcomed additions.
It is noteworthy that the Festival dedicated to the Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, signified triumph/victory of good over evil, and towards that end, our Hindu brothers and sisters cleaned their houses and temples giving them a new and clean appearance for they believed that Diwali brought with it new beginnings with new hopes and aspirations. Diwali held greater significance for Guyanese so that while the celebration reflects the broad outlook of a multi-religious society, the distribution and sharing of delicacies and the exchange of gifts and greetings began to reflect a stronger social bonding in our society and made our country a stronger united place in which to live.
Diwali and its related events and activities began to communicate more practical lessons intended to illuminate our lives and allowed us to deal amicably with our fellow Guyanese on a daily basis. And so, as we celebrate Diwali, we must continue to emphasize the message and the value of the festival: the message of truth and goodness triumphing over darkness. Let the diyas illuminate our minds and our hearts and teach us how to interact and to live harmoniously with one another every day of our lives. Let us open not only our doors but our hearts so that we see a human being, a fellow Guyanese and not an Indo Guyanese or an Afro Guyanese or Amerindian or a Chinese or a Portuguese or a Dougla.
We have a challenge to keep the light of Diwali shining and to get it even brighter; a challenge to ensure we relegate and we exile those who work to create divisions within our society. Let’s use the occasion of Diwali to promote unity and harmony among our people; to heal wounds; to remove the walls of disharmony and help foster National Unity. Happy Diwali to all!
Norman Whittaker
Deputy Chairman, Local
Government Commission
Former Minister of Local
Government & Regional
Development
