DIWALI celebrations during the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many experiences and changes that have highlighted the essential bonds in the family structure, along with health and wellbeing that need to be cherished.

This is according to High Commissioner of India, Dr. K J Srinivasa, who noted that Guyana is a home away from home because of the rich connections between India and Guyana, which is like an umbilical cord that maintains the ties of shared history, heritage, culture and traditions which are still maintained by the Guyanese people.
In India, he said “we have a phrase for all the diaspora countries, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad, South Africa, Jamaica, Fiji, Mauritius. They are called “Girmitiya countries” and there is also a song which talks of an immigrant who came in the 18 century out of India from Behar, India.”

Girmitiya or Jahajis were indentured Indian labourers whom the British Empire sent to various countries to work on sugarcane plantations for the benefit of European settlers.
“Guyana has been a great example of cultural tolerance, religious interaction where each one interact with each other’s festivals; this is a great example,” he said. “The people of Guyana can be bandied about as a great example to the world.”

The festival of lights, Deepawali, is the biggest and the brightest of all festivals in India. As per the Hindu epic Ramayana, Diwali is the day when Lord Rama, Goddess Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman returned to Ayodhya after spending 14 years in forests.

However, it is also believed that Goddess Lakshmi was born on Diwali during the churning of the cosmic ocean (Samudra Manthan).
Thus, Goddess Lakshmi is the most significant deity during Diwali Puja.

The High Commissioner noted that Diwali is a five-day festivity which begins on Dhanteras and ends on Bhaiya Dooj.
India, he said is such a large country that the religious significance of the same festival can be different in the north and the south. In north India, Diwali is celebrated as the day when Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana returned from exile.

However, he said that in south India, Diwali marks the death of asura Narakasura by Lord Krishna.
Diwali according to the south Indian calendar usually falls a day ahead of the Diwali celebrations in North India. However, this year, the north and the south will celebrate Diwali on the same day.

He said in India the support of local Diwali products are tremendous since they support the economy. “Festival seasons boost the demands of any economy.”
In India, he said celebrations start in August and continue into Christmas because of a series of festivals that start with the Ganesh Pooja in August.
“Unlike other countries where Christmas is the biggest shopping time, in India we have a continuous shopping period,” he reflected.

“When I came here I was exposed to the Diwali float culture. I have never seen it anywhere else in the world and this is very unique. The theme that is done along with the dedication is quite professional and amazing,” the Indian envoy said.

He added that many musical instruments and books from India will be donated to temples countrywide.
“Cultural concepts must be strengthened and the essence of Indian culture and tradition is more than 5000 years old and the children must be given the opportunity to carry it on. You can take an Indian out of India, but you can’t take India out of an Indian,” he said.