Today is a public holiday in Trinidad and Tobago. We join with our Hindu brothers and sisters as they celebrate the festival of Divali (pronounced “dee-wah-lee”).
Divali is commonly refered to as “The Festival of Light”, as in the night time, devotees light deyas (small earthen pots used as oil lamps) to signify the triumph of good over evil, of light over darkness, and of wisdom and intelligence over ignorance and despair.
In TnT, *everyone* celebrates Divali in some way, not just Hindus. Non-Hindus participate primarily at the invitation of their Hindu friends to help celebrate the festivities by coming over to eat a sumptious vegetarian feast of East Indian treats, after they’ve said their devotional prayers. Some people just opt to eat some paratha roti with their choice of curried vegetables and meat.
Even if you aren’t invited to a friend’s house, lots of temples (and some neighbourhoods) build massive, intricate displays of deyas in their homes, temple grounds, surrounding streets or public parks.
Almost *everyone* participates in “lighting up” the deyas, which use coconut oil for fuel. I really like the smell of the oil as it burns.
[Flickr: juniatha]
I just want to wish all my Hindu friends and readers a Happy and Holy Divali.
Let’s hope that the lights we light tonight help us unite as a people, as a country and as a world.
[Read the rest at HuffPo: Dawn Teo {h/t:Frolin} ]
Be safe out there, folks.
Peace and Rice,
jw
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