– in age-old tradition

Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Lights and in Guyana, the grandest way it is ushered in is through the massive motorcade held annually on the eve of the festival.

It begins at the Shri Krishna Mandir in Campbelville and takes the traditional route along Sandy Babb Street onto Vlissengen Road, and then along the Seawall. This year, the ending point changed from the La Bonne Intention Community Centre ground to the Chateau Margot Ground, East Coast Demerara. But that did not dull the celebration in any way.

The motorcade is an elaborate profusion of colour, complementing the grandeur of significances behind the Festival of Lights.

In the Ramyana (A Hindu scripture), it was said that Lord Rama, an incarnation of Hindu God Vishnu, returned to his Kingdom of Ayodhya. He returned after defeating a Demon King, Ravana, on Amavasya- the darkest night of the year, and his people lit small earthen pots (Diyas) to brighten his path as he returned home that night. One significance of Diwali draws from this account.

With Diwali being observed on the darkest night of the year, it is quite understandable why the Hindu Goddess Maa Lakshmi is revered. She is the Goddess of Light, and also the giver of wealth. Like most Hindu festivals, the overarching message is the triumph of good over evil and essentially, Mother Lakshmi is the embodiment of light illuminating any darkness.

Perhaps this is why the most popular depiction during the motorcade is Mother Lakshmi. Young girls were adorned in their bright red saris and elaborate jewellery. Each girl was amidst a water lily, where Mother Lakshmi is often depicted.

Diwali is also a harvest festival. With the overarching significance being the triumph of good over evil, a plentiful harvest could be seen as a means of eradicating poverty. Seeking to emphasise this was the Golden Fleece Mandir that had their Lakshmis perched atop a tractor.

All-in-all however, though the same tenets are emphasised and illustrated each year, Guyanese are unrelenting in their support of the motorcade that illuminates the dark times.