In these days of darkness and despair, Diwali offers hope for peace ...

Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights that takes place on 31 October, has its roots in ancient India. Beyond India, in the colonial era, indentured labourers celebrated Diwali in plantations in places like Mauritius, Trinidad and Tobago, Surinam, Fiji, Malaysia and Natal in South Africa.

Scriptural references for the origins of Diwali can be traced to the Mahabharat and Ramayan, among other religious texts. A common theme is the universal fight for justice and righteousness, and this has been highlighted by various scholars and leaders in different contexts across the international spectrum.

According to Anant Rambachan, Professor of Religion at St Olaf College, Minnesota: “The Ramayana begins with an account of unbridled greed, the violent exercise of power and oppression perpetuated by Ravana and those who served him… a central narrative of Diwali (is) the universal human longing for freedom from oppression and the hope of living in a world where there is peace, justice and prosperity.”

Swami Vimokshananda from the Ramakrishna Centre has emphasised that the Festival of Lights offers hope amid contemporary challenges: “Our world today is at a crossroads. While charity to help the poor and needy is delightfully increasing, it is disconcerting to see the rise of violence — domestic or national, crime, obscenity, corruption and other expressions of ill-gotten wealth. Serious people devoted to God and godly means of living are indeed worrying about their children’s future prospects.

“Is there, among the gloomy cloudiness, any shiny ray of hope? In this context, the various celebrations that have come to us from time immemorial from the spiritual land of Bharat hold the clue. One of the most loved celebrations of all the Hindus the world over, is the Festival of Lights.”

Writing from India, Dr Amit Ray has contended that Diwali’s “message of hope and unity transcends national and geographical boundaries and speaks to our common search for inner peace and global peace… Diwali’s spirit encourages you to embrace the beauty of diversity and recognise the common ground that unites people globally. In this shared celebration, you contribute to a global atmosphere of unity and understanding.”

In the 21st century in a digitally connected global village, Diwali has become an international festival celebrated across geographical boundaries, faiths and cultures.

South African author Arvashni Seeripat offers some succinct comparative reflections about global festivals: “Diwali, Thanksgiving, Christmas… moments of gratitude and moments of celebration. It’s the time when we rejoice in the spirit of our beliefs and we celebrate with light… lamps, candles, fireworks… One way we bring light into our lives is through enlightenment of our minds, which can be achieved in many ways that are unique to you.”

In keeping with this global trend, the United Nations General Assembly recognised the significance of Diwali, which is observed by many member states, in its resolution 69/250 in 2014. Diwali was celebrated at the UN in New York for the first time in 2016. In 2018 the UN Postal System “issued two stamps with diyas (clay lamps) in celebration of Diwali as ‘the quest for the triumph of good over evil’”.

Ruchira Kamboj, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN (and former high commissioner to South Africa) has said that Diwali is “also a celebration of the eternal values of kindness, caring and compassion, resonating very much with what we do here at the United Nations in the effort to dignify all”.

Former United Nations General Assembly president Dennis Francis reinforced this sentiment, stressing that the “spirit of Diwali transcends cultural boundaries and serves as a universal inspiration in our collective pursuit of a more inclusive, fairer and just world”.

According to Professor Atul Shah from the UK, festivals such as Diwali provide an opportunity “to rejuvenate mind, body and soul, not in a selfish way but as a collective community of spirits, seeking harmony and creativity to fire our imagination… This (2024) is a particularly painful Diwali, with several wars ignited in various corners of the world, coming very visibly on to our screens. They make us feel fearful, helpless and hopeless at the same time… This Diwali, let us light a diya (clay lamp) of hope to alleviate all suffering… Let this Diwali be a festival of innocent kindness, generosity and peaceful coexistence.”

Professor Anant Rambachan similarly argued that: “We cannot celebrate Diwali… without… a concern for the wellbeing of all… We ought to ensure that Hindus are known, in whatever part of the world we reside, Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, and the Caribbean, for our commitment to overcoming suffering rooted in poverty, illiteracy, disease, and violence.”

As Advocate GK Ganesan from Malaysia has emphasised, Diwali presents “a sacred opportunity to bring cheer to a world oppressed by the darkness of ignorance, racism, religious bigotry, greed, vanity and selfishness”. According to Dr Amit Ray, the silent message of the flickering flames is the “call to dispel the darkness of hatred, intolerance and conflict”.

In his 2024 message, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Diwali on the (Trafalgar) Square is a fantastic family celebration of light and colour. It brings together Londoners and visitors of all backgrounds to mark the symbolic victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance… As global tensions continue to affect us all, Diwali’s central messages of peace and hope are more pertinent than ever.”

Closer to home, Ashwin Trikamjee, the president of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, emphasised that “Diwali reminds us that we are all sparks of the Divine, interconnected despite differences in race, class, gender, or religion. This festival is a call to action, urging us to shed the darkness of inequality, poverty, and unemployment that plagues our nation.”

As darkness and despair threaten to envelop the world, we desperately need the light of hope and renewal, charity and welfare, justice and honesty, and a religious sector that reaffirms a commitment to faith and scriptures that transcends hatred and promotes love, respect, dignity, peaceful coexistence and the welfare of humanity.

The festival of Diwali provides one such opportunity. DM