Early in the morning on the eve of Diwali, the sons of Indian indentured workers used to make their way to the banks of the Demerara River and others across the country with rusty cutlasses and old tin pails.
Rich, clean mud was dug to be taken home to start the process of making diyas, which Hindus believe would light the Goddess of Wealth’s path into their homes.
Diyas are small bowl-shaped vessels used as lamps by East Indians. Hindus believe that lighting diyas on Diwali signifies the triumph of good over evil and illuminates their homes, their paths, their lives, their intellect and their good deeds.
Diwali, the festival of lights, is observed during the Hindu month of Kartik (October/ November) on what is said to be the darkest night of the year. Diwali is the most common phonetic spelling of the word used here. It is also spelt as Deepavali and Divali. However, the correct Sanskrit spelling is Dipavali. It was said to have been brought to Guyana by the first batch of Indian indentured labourers in 1838. However, it has been argued by some scholars of Guyanese history that the festival did not surface until 1853.
There are many stories from the Hindu religious texts which are associated with this five-day festival. During the festival the Goddess of Wealth, Laxmi, is worshipped to bring riches (not only material) and prosperity into the lives of devotees.
The celebration is a blend of the traditions brought by our Indian ancestors and the personalized knowledge which we have obtained. Sadly, over the decades these traditions and their values have been fading away; among the most threatened is the making of mud diyas.
The banks of trenches were alternative locations for gathering mud, only if the river was not accessible, 69-year-old Phaganie explained to Stabroek News. She and her family would use their hands to mould the mud, into diyas of various sizes and designs.
Sand was sometimes kneaded into the mud dough to balance the mixture, Phaganie explained, and make the finished product absorb less of the oil that would be placed in it. Although, the diyas were often crudely made it was the time spent with one’s family working on an offering to God that really mattered.
After living most of the first four decades of his life in British Guiana and the other four in an independent republic, Pandit (Hindu Priest) Kampta Prashad believes that Dipavali has grown but some of its traditions and values have been lost.
The making of mud diyas, he said, was a family activity that nurtured unity and common ground where each member of the extended family could express themselves. However, it was practiced mostly in middle and lower-class rural families.
“The diya is of great significance,” Pandit Prashad stressed. “And making the vessels reminds Hindus of this significance.”
However, time has brought change and that change has drowned simple traditions like making mud diyas, Pandit Prashad said. Most families, he pointed out, don’t have the time and resort to purchasing diyas, some of which come with wax.
Wax, the Pandit said, should not be used since it is made from animal fat. The diya itself he explained represents the body, the ghee represents the mind and the flame represents the soul. If the mind is polluted, he explained, then the body will be affected and the soul prevented from attaining Moksha (the ultimate freedom or deliverance).
During the early 1970s, Pandit Prashad explained, Dipavali was celebrated by Hindus in their homes and diyas were not lit on the large scale that they are now. It was the beginning and steadily climbing popularity of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s motorcade that contributed to the explosion of Dipavali awareness.
The rise of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s
Dipavali motorcade
It has become a truly Guyanese tradition; glowing vehicles artfully designed depicting Goddess Laxmi as the theme are displayed the night before Dipavali.
The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s Dipavali Motorcade did not become popular until the early 1980s. However, president of the organisation, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, the motorcade has been around for 35 years.
At the beginning, Persaud said, the event was barely popular. During its first year, he said, the event was small and limited only to the Georgetown area. However, it has expanded over the years and now draws participation from East and West Berbice, Georgetown, Essequibo, East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, and West Coast and Bank Demerara.
Traditionally, the motorcade is held the night before the actual Dipavali day. The motorcades comprise various models of vehicles adorned with bright colours, brilliant bulbs and decorations which depict the religious significance of the festival. Most designs display various forms of the Goddess Laxmi who is worshipped during the festival.
During the motorcade, young girls dressed as the Goddess Laxmi sit among the lights of the motorcade and try to remain as still as possible. The vehicles are often equipped with sound systems as well and the members of various mandirs (Hindu churches) sing bhajans (hymns).
Dipavali’s roots, according to Pandit Chandreca Persaud of Patentia, West Bank Demerara, are replete with many stories from the religion’s scriptures all of which narrate the morale of good triumphing over evil or of God being the conqueror of all things.
Lord Ram returning from Ayodhya after defeating the Demon King Ravan and the defeat of the demon Narkasur by Lord Krishna are significant examples in the Hindu religious texts of good (God and the belief in him) triumphing over evil (temptation and sin), Pandit Persaud explained.
These various stories are presented annually at the end of the motorcade journey and many times young boys are dressed as the various gods and demons.
This public event, Pandit Prashad noted, has greatly promoted the celebration of Dipavali throughout Guyana and now attracts large numbers of non-Hindus.
