STAFF members of the ministries of Culture, Youth and Sport and Local Government and Regional Development yesterday hosted events at their respective offices in celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, with dances, songs and appropriate messages.

In the Hindu calendar, Diwali is a very auspicious occasion that speaks to the triumph of good over evil, and marks the return from exile of Hindu God Lord Rama after 14 years.
Local Government and Regional Development Minister Ganga Persaud, in addressing the staff and invitees, lauded the fact that the country’s citizens share in the festivity, irrespective of colour, race or creed.
He reflected on his childhood days and Diwali celebrations of yesteryear, and declared that it does not matter where we came from traditionally, because, as Guyanese, everyone has a unique heritage, and that, shared with each other, enriches those persons because we become more understanding of each other.
He advised that persons should use the Festival of Lights to promote good and overcome the ‘darkness’ that challenges society.
He added that darkness is all around, and is causing persons to be unsure of what they do, and this leads to negative actions. He urged that persons take a lesson from the festival’s significance to rid themselves of negativities.

He encouraged that Diwali should bring out the good in everyone, and urged that “we always need to remove the darkness from around us”.
He pointed out that Diwali is the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivities that are marked by four days of celebration.
In Guyana, the celebration is observed in various ways, including distribution of sweet meats, illuminating the inside and outside of houses with little lamps called diyas, cleaning of houses, and the widely attended annual spectacle, the Diwali motorcade.
He advised that persons beware of the dangers of lighting diyas close to electric items and curtains, among other fabrics.
Meanwhile, at the festivities at the Culture Ministry, Permanent Secretary Alfred King urged that the goodwill of the season prevail among everyone, and advised that persons take heed of the Diwali message, not just on Diwali day but throughout the year.
He noted that Diwali is celebrated by almost all of Guyana, as persons unite and enjoy the festival of lights.
Everyone can relate to Diwali, he said, as everyone would have various challenges in their lives, whether personal or corporate.
He also noted that individuals ought to stand up and face these challenges, and not be intimidated or overcome by them.

(By Savitri Laikram)