The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha yesterday said that it will be celebrating Diwali on Wednesday November 11, 2015.
The announcement comes amid a simmering controversy between two sections of the Hindu community over the date.
In a statement yesterday, the Dharmic Sabha said that Diwali occurs annually on Amawasya or the new moon day of the Hindu month of Kartik. It is the 15th Tithi in the dark half of Kartik and the darkest night of the year. According to the Panchang/ Patra, this occurs on November 11.
“This coincides exactly with the western astronomers’ calculation of the new moon which is listed for Guyana as occurring on November 11 at 13:47 hours”, the Dharmic Sabha stated.
The Dharmic Sabha said that to celebrate on November 10th would be premature as that would be before the new moon even occurs.
The Dharmic Sabha said its date coincides with several prominent organisations and mandirs in the Americas (our timezone).
“The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha has been calculating its Hindu festival dates for more than 40 years on the basis of the Bhavani Shankar Panchang and the 100 year Panchang, India’s most renowned and reputable Panchangs”, it added.
Meanwhile, the Indian Action Committee in a statement yesterday called for unity in the Hindu community on the date.
“ In the interest of unity, the IAC urge both sides to engage each other with the intention of finding a common ground for one celebration”, the statement said.
It said that two celebrations would run counter to the messages of harmony and unity which are usually articulated by both sides.
