Missing a Guyana Deepavali
By Vishnu Bisram
Stabroek News
November 4, 2002
The cold weather of New York (and it is very cold for this time of year) does not make for a very enjoyable Deepavali celebration comparable to Guyana.
And in the U.S, unlike in Guyana, the festival is not a public holiday and in fact is not even accorded any official recognition aside from the President and politicians wishing American Hindus a Happy Deepavali. Hence many Guyanese, like myself, reminisce about the wonderful celebration in our native Guyana where Deepavali was a time when spirituality and entertainment coexist. In fact, many overseas-based Guya-nese long for the good old glory to take in the spectacular evening of lit diyas.
I remember the festival being celebrated with gaiety and splendour but requiring a lot of personal sacrifices and preparation. I recall neighbours and my family began making preparation for Deepavali days before the festival.
Houseyards were spruced up - grass cut and the tree trunks white washed.
Houses were scrubbed clean (interior as well as exterior) and given a new look (and even repainted). New linens and blinds decorated the homes and new clothes were purchased for everyone. Old clothes were washed. Hindus fasted for days prior to the festival and abstained from meat, fish, eggs, sex and alcohol. People bought food items and religious paraphernalia including diyas and preparation for the festival.
During the festival period, an aura of celebration was in the air with the place being decorated and spruced up. Schools would hold Deepa-vali concerts.
Villages had Deepavali pageants. In the few days leading up to Deepavali, temples were visited and Hindus propitiated to Goddess Laxh-mi who represents wealth and prosperity. On the eve of Deepavali, Hindus lit a diya and placed it on the entrance of the home.
I remember on the following morning, the youths would wake up before sunrise and go around picking up diyas that were placed in front of peoples' houses the preceding night. These diyas would then be used again on Deepavali night to light up around the house yard for decorative purposes and for an unofficial competition for the title of the "most lit home".
On Deepavali day, sweets or mitai, mohanbhoog and bhojan were prepared. Some Hindus exchanged gifts and greetings and distributed sweets and foods to their neighbours especially to Muslim, Christians, and Hindus who did not celebrate because of mourning for the loss of a loved one. The temples were usually visited in the course of the day and at dawn, prayers and offerings made to Lord Ganesh and Mother Laxhmi, the Goddess of wealth.
After services, burning of incense and aartee, diyas were arranged in rows and lit up around the house and the houseyard. Every window ledge of the house and every step on the outdoor stairs were decorated with diyas; many homes even mount multicoloured designs of diyas in front of their homes.
Also, garlands of fresh flowers and smelling chameli decorate the front door of the home. Neighbours unofficially competed for the most diya-lit home.
Some homes used flickering multi-coloured lamp bulbs or an assortment of candles as part of the friendly competition. Some celebrants also used multi-coloured diyas. People of all races and religions would drive around various neighbourhoods to take in the spectacular sight. In recent times, a grand motorcade of lighted diyas and electronic lights was added to the
celebration. Even non-Hindus would partake in the motorcade to show their appreciation of the festival and to lend support to Hindus.
Later on Deepavali evening after the oil or ghee in the diyas burnt out, the youths would raid house yards and collect diyas to be reused next Deepavali as part of the competition for the most lit home.
The Deepavali festival was also a time to enjoy excellent traditional Indian delicacies - bara, phulourie, goja, channa, etc as well as the full complement of vegetarian dishes. It was also a time to see people dressed in their traditional attire (especially the young ladies going to the mandirs).
It was a time for sharing and inviting friends and neighbours for dinner. It was a time when people, regardless of racial and religious background, showed love and respect for one another. There certainly were no shoot-outs during the season and no threats to burn down entire villages of Indians.
Deepavali is really a celebration of one's cultural identity. No doubt Hindus are proud of their heritage and traditions and the festival is celebrated in all of its exuberance. In fact, many who emigrate continue the celebration of festivals like Deepavali in places like the U.S. where the weather makes it difficult to celebrate the event in all its glory. But every effort is made by the Guyanese community to celebrate Deepavali with all of its traditions, pomp, ceremony, exuberance and glory in the mandirs and in Guyanese communities.
There are motorcades, cultural variety concerts, and Ram Leela plays are staged just like back home. But what is missing is the public holiday, the day off from work to spend time with friends and family as it used to be in Guyana.