The COVID-19 pandemic has bought about a lot of changes and like many other holidays this year, Diwali which is being celebrated on Saturday will be different.
High Commissioner of India, Dr K J Srinivasa during a recent interview with Stabroek News urged persons to use the holiday meaningfully by participating in activities such as bonding with their loved ones and giving back to society.
“This time…..is very different from last year…Pandemic, you are not having big gatherings but people are celebrating at home…..You know the importance of family has been highlighted because of this COVID. Earlier, people use to get together only for the festivals. Now the nuclear families are understanding the values of support systems. The family bonding and help they will get when they are together,” Srinivasa said.
He added that the restrictions that were put in place to avoid the spread of COVID-19 have changed the manner in which individuals spend their time daily in an unprecedented manner but most importantly, it has bought “everyone close together”.
“So Diwali is actually a celebration of good over evil, light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance. So this is a time for introspection, for people to understand the importance of the family values, the traditional values and the importance of health,” Srinivasa said.
Diwali, also called Deepavali is known as the festival of lights. It is a five-day festival, with the main celebration being observed tomorrow. A typical Diwali celebration involves the assembling of lights (diyas) around homes and place of worship, dispelling any darkness.
It is also a time when families invite each other for bonding as they indulge in sweetmeats and light sparkles or fireworks.
However, with the COVID-19 restrictions many of the usual activities are not being held this year.
While some are still preparing for the holiday, many including event planners have opted for virtual events to avoid large crowds.
According to Srinivasa, the celebrations this year ought to be “low key”.
“Diwali for me last year, I had a great experience in Guyana because this is one place where I find excellent religious tolerance whether Hindu, Muslim or Christian, it doesn’t matter……Each one respects their belief and that’s the great strength about Guyana….the excellent respect between the religions, between the six races that is here,” he related.
“Give back”
Srinivasa said that he believes that one of the greatest fortunes of mankind is to give to those in need.
As such, apart from bonding, Srinivasa is also encouraging persons to get involved in other activities such as charity even learning a new skill during the festive season.
“It is also a time of charity where people donate to the public, to the organisations, the NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations. And this is one thing I have been stressing to people wherever I have been going. I am telling them give it to the poor. Make a pledge that this year you are going to help the helpless and the needy especially in the times of COVID people have suffered a lot both economically, physically and mentally. Donate,” he said.
In developing countries such as India and Guyana, Srinivasa added that there are many “have nots” and special emphasis should be placed on them.
“Those are the people we should always concentrate on. The haves will always manage themselves but until we do that, I think the future of the countries can’t be assured of,” he stated, adding….Show your kids the value of social services”.
He said this is also a “golden” opportunity to learn more about one’s self and health.
“….In this modern world, we have neglected health completely. The non-communicable diseases are at their highest. So you have now a golden opportunity to learn more about your own self, your mental and physical health….because I have seen cases where because of this pandemic people are staying at home and they are now facing a pandemic of depression, psychological illnesses,” Srinivasa said.
“In that, what I have personally found, is that the practices of Yoga and meditation have tremendous benefits which people have not understood…At the same time, try to see how best you can adapt technologically for learning new skills,” he added.
