A symbol of ‘good over evil’ or ‘light over darkness’, Diwali is celebrated on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Kartik – a date which usually falls between mid-October and mid-November in the modern calendar.
Originated in India, the festival has many variations. For example, in northern India, it is the celebration of King Rama’s return to Ayodhya after he defeated Ravana.
In Southern India, it is the day Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura and in western India, the festival marks the day that Lord Vishnu sent the Demon King, Bali, to rule the underworld.
However, in all interpretations, the underlying theme is the victory of good over evil.
In Guyana, Diwali is one of the wider celebrated national festivals by, not only Hindus, but persons from all walks of life who make up the country’s multi-cultural society. The festival of lights was brought to British Guiana by the Indian Indentured Immigrants who were imported to these shores from 1838 to 1917.
Among the Immigrants were several Hindu priests who were trained in India – one of whom, Jwala Persaud Sharma, even went on to building the first Rama Krishna Mandir on the Essequibo Island of Leguan. These religious leaders helped in the continuation of rituals learned in their home country.
In the early days on the sugar plantation, however, it was a far less extravagant celebration when compared to what obtains today. Eighty-two-year-old Liloutie, who married in 1946 and lived with her husband in a Logie on a sugar plantation for five years, explained that everyone was required to work and therefore little was done at home.
“We didn’t had no particular thing. We just go to the Mandir, the Pandit had to go at 3 or 4 am and do the religious function and then everyone had to hurry to work,” she noted.
A Logie can be called a range house comprising of approximately ten rooms with one allocated to each family.
Eventually, Liloutie moved from the Logie into her father-in-law’s home where she began celebrating Diwali by lighting a minimum amount of Diyas made with mud. “We didn’t had all these things it got now. We used to make Diyas with the mud from the trench. Everybody used to make with mud,” Liloutie recalled.
In other communities, some persons held individual Pujas, but the sweet meats included “sugar water and gulgula” – the only thing they could afford at that time.
Recently, there has been a major reduction in the number of persons who still make their own Diyas as the earthen wares are now available for sale in various shapes and designs.
Also, persons now light thousands of Diyas when compared to the more modest celebrations when Diwali was first brought to Guyana.
However, there is one thing which remains throughout the years. According to Liloutie, that is the spinning of steel wool. This tradition involves placing steel wool on a piece of wire before setting it alight from the Diyas and spinning it in the streets. The outcome is a kaleidoscope of light which is created from the fire sparks flying in all directions.
The 82-year-old woman said that the only difference is that only boys participated in the fun when she was younger, but girls have now joined the tradition as society becomes more gender neutral.
Dr. Vindhya Persaud, the current President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS), also spoke to some of the differences of Diwali celebrations from ancient times to now.
In 1974, a much anticipated activity was added to the Diwali celebrations.
With decorated donkey carts and a few cars carrying diyas, the Diwali Motorcade was introduced by the GHDS.
“The decorations back then were very primitive. A lot of coconut branches were used, a few pictures and not many fairy lights. People also weren’t sitting on any cars,” Dr. Persaud described as she remembers the tales told by her father, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud.
The procession through the streets of Georgetown and other parts of the country has grown over the years to now a major competition. Mandirs and businesses alike are adjudged by their re-enactment of scenes of the ancient stories behind the festival.
The Dharmic Sabha’s President believes that this has been the most successful festival at creating social cohesion. Four years ago, the Sabha also started the National Rangoli competition in schools to celebrate the religious festival.
Though Rangoli is synonymous with any form of celebration, Dr. Persaud said that its introduction has led to a greater appreciation of a different culture from a young age.
As Diwali celebrations continue to grow, it continues to bring a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society together.
According to Dr. Persaud, more has been gained rather than lost.
