Diwali - Essence of the Indian festival of Lights

Diwali is the Indian festival of lights and is celebrated on a large scale throughout India and the Indian Diaspora. It is also celebrated in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Guyana, West Indies, Fiji, and of course, here in the United States. Diwali is about hope, Diwali brings light, Diwali signifies end of darkness and Diwali signifies end of ignorance and beginning of enlightenment.  You can greet your friends with any one of these phrases, "Happy Diwali", "Diwali Mubarak", Diwali ki Shubh Kamnayein" and the very Best of Diwali to you.  

Diwali is spelled differently, and is called by many names. There is Divali among others, and Deepavali, meaning the festival of lights. Although Diwali is a Hindu tradition, many a people of different faiths participate in celebrations - Jains, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Zoroastrians and others of India and Indian origins.

People decorate their homes with lights and Rangoli, i.e., colorful drawing in the front yard of the home, sidewalks, even roads in India with colorful powders or colorful pieces of chalk. Women and Children look forward to expressing their artistic talent in this season. Their surroundings filled with colorful lights to enliven the day, to mark the dawn of a new era in one's life.

My childhood is filled with good memories of Diwali; the sparklers, the food and everything joyous you can imagine.

A few years ago, Jyoti and Nishi Bhatia, former President of DFW Hindu Temple and President of Dallas Hindi Association respectively, asked me to speak about Diwali in a dinner gathering to a group of people from different faiths and cultures, and I cherished it, I love talking about Diwali, as its essence reflects the ideals of pluralism, and symbolizes hope and positive energy, victory of good over evil; a new beginning. It is indeed seeing the light at the end of tunnel.

  

Diwali Celebration is a part of the epic Ramayana, and the Ram Lila (enactment of the story on stage) is played out all night long in towns across India. I grew up watching it in front of my house, and my friends played different roles in the show. Indeed, one of my former relatives played Hanuman’s role.

It was a challenge for me to teach Ramayana to a group of people who knew nothing about it. It turned out to be a successful program. I prepared the nearly all white audience that I will be narrating the story through the power point and along will be reinforcing the names and roles of the key persons in the story and will ask them for feed back at the end. Friends, I cannot tell you the joy, the Bhatias and I felt when each one of them answered the questions from the story. They got it! It is a powerful story and takes about 30 minutes to narrate.

The epic is filled with educative tales, edifying poems, and fables. It is probably through their constant retelling in the villages over centuries that Hinduism is most efficiently disseminated from generation to generation.

Whenever a society rots with adharma (wrong path), where no one cares about the other, lying, stealing and dishonesty become rampant, Lord Krishna says,I will emerge among you and restore the righteousness and trust in the society to function smoothly." Zarathustra, Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, Krishna, Nanak, Mahavira, Confucius, Tao and others served the same purpose. it is almost like the laws of physics ; water finds its own level, and righteousness finds its own existence.

Rama is one such incarnation who reestablished the moral code for social conduct and proper relation of mankind to divinity. He was truthful and a just king.

Diwali symbolizes hope and positive energy

• People wear new clothes
• Share sweets as a symbol of happiness
• Renew the relationships
• Strengthen the bonds

It signifies a new beginning, starting out fresh.

• for most businesses it is the new financial year
• An inventory of assets is taken
• An assessment of family and relationship
• Last harvest for the farmers
• New things are bought

To those celebrating Diwali, I wish you, your families and loved ones Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak.”

Today, on this blessed day, we have a blank slate to start, let's plan on filling it with doing good things for ourselves, to our family, friends, community, nation and the world until next Diwali.

What are good things? Words and actions that bring peace, Mukti, salvation, Moksha, nirvana, Nijaat and freedom to us, yes us. There is so much of joy waiting to be had. If we can remove hatred and anger towards others, forgive others and ask for forgiveness (Michami Dukadam is a beautiful phrase the Jain's use), then a blissful year is sure to come for each one of you and me.

• May this Diwali purge your heart, mind and soul from hate, malice, anger and ill-will;
• May this Diwali open your hearts and minds towards fellow being;
• May this Diwali brighten your life, and may this Diwali mark the dawn of a new era;

Muslims are a big part of Diwali as well, and innumerable poets have written poetries and songs about Diwali. Here is my effort, I wrote this seven years ago on the occasion when Diwali and Ramadan were celebrated around the same time.

ये मेरी दिवाली है, ये मेरी ईद है
दोनों में खुशी ही खुशी है

A meri diwali hai, a meri eid hai
donon may khushi hi khushi hai -

दिवाली से नया साल शुरू होता है
रमज़ान एक नया इंसान बनाता है

 Diwali say naya saal shuru hota hai
Ramzan ek naya insaan banata hai -

दिवाली मैं एक एक बात का हिसाब होता है
रमज़ान में हर बात का रिव्यू होता है

 Diwali may ek ek baat ka hisab hota hai
Ramzan may her baat ka review hota hai -

दिवाली नए साल के लिए क्लीन स्लेट देता है
रमज़ान पिछले साल का स्लेट क्लीन करता है

Diwali nayay saal ke liye clean slate deta hai
Ramzan pichlay saal ki slate clean karta hai -

बात ही बात में मैंने एक नयी नज़्म लिख दी साहिर
दिवाली और रमज़ान से सबका अच्छा ही होता है

Baat hi baat may, my nay a sher likh diya Sahir
Diwali aur Ramzan say subka acha hi hota hai

Happy Diwali to you my friends, may this Diwali bring happiness, serenity and peace to you. Amen!

दोनों में खुशी ही खुशी है

Thank you
mike
Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916 text/talk

Published at: 

1. www.TheGhouseDiary.com
2. http://foundationforpluralism.blogspot.com
3. http://MikeGhouseforIndia.blogspot.com
4. https://www.saddahaq.com/humaninterest/EssenceOfDiwali/essence-of-diwali-the-indian-festival-of-lights

............................................................................................................................... 
Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism at work place, politics, religion, society, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, food and foreign policy. All about him is listed in several links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.comand 10 other blogs. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

Ridiculous Rabbis, Imams and clergy from your tradition

http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2012/06/ridiculous-rabbis-imams-and-your-clergy.html

I come across ridiculous opinions (Fatwas) of Rabbis and Imams, like an Imam declaring Tomato to be a Christian. Don't laugh, your tradition in no exception whether it is Buddhist, Hindu, Baha’i or Christian, all  have their share of ridiculousness.

Hold your breath, these men (rarely women) are a few and far between. A “few” Muslims make it a business to highlight the “perceived weaknesses” of Jews, and the “few” Jews and a "few Hindus" make it their business to malign the “perceived weaknesses” of Islam. Same goes with a “few” Bahai, Sikhs, Wicca,  Buddhists, Christians and others.

My point; don’t laugh at any one before laughing at yourselves. It is human to err, and not Muslim, Jew or Christian to err, no one can thump his chest and say, “we don’t do it in our religion” - baloney it is!

As time permits, I will put through all the idiosyncrasies… over a period of time. The idea is let’s highlight 99.99% goodness of others rather than get bogged down with the few.

Rabbis in Israel are pressurizing the government and issuing fatwas to have separation of men and women in the places of worship. They even spat on a girl for not covering the hair. 

In Kerala, one of the big female movie stars walked into a Hindu temple and the whole priesthood gave a fatwa that the temple has to be washed completely three times, because a woman cannot enter that temple.

The Baha’is refused to perform a wedding, because the girl could not get permission from his mother, who had disowned her… hold it, someone in your faith has done it too. You integrity demands you to laugh at your own first.

Disgusting statements are coming out of the mouths of a "few" men and women; Hitler thought Jews don't deserve a life and went on about the Holocaust, and shame on you, if you justify Hitler. The rulers of Japan, China, Bosnia, Israel, Palestine, Burma, Rwanda and other nations have all called the others "as roaches or rats" that need to be exterminated. Jesus was absolutely right when said, " no one can cast the first stone".  Next time when you hear some one put down one or the other, ask them to Google.

A “few” clergy men desperately want to prove that they have special privileges with God, and direct line - and declare that Tsunamis, 9/11, Katrina and other disasters are God’s punishment.  Check it out; your clergy has said the ridiculous things as well, if not find it out.

What can you do about it?

If an Imam, Rabbi, Pundit, Pastor, Shaman, Gyani or a Clergy makes a statement that causes you to think negatively about another group of people*, have the balls to tell him to look at himself first (loaded with malice), before he or she has the gall to tell others not to have what he has. You will find these in the internet forums as well - guys hatefully telling others not to hate,  It just won't cut it.  

The role of right Imams, Rabbis, Pundits, Pastors, Shamans, Gyanis or Clergy is to work to mitigate conflicts and ill-will and nurture goodwill, so all of God's creation can live with least fear and most secure. That is what each one of their masters did. You have a right to stop them from spewing the non-sense. If not, let me know, I will be happy to come and do that for the sake of humanity.

The fringe element among Muslims have made some really humorous declarations - among them; is it was wrong for a woman to cut cucumber, or peel a banana, that a woman's independence amounts to her becoming lesbian...the gangsters in Somalia had banned Samosa (triangular egg roll) as it appears like a cross… now the tomato thing below.

I would appreciate if you could share some of the idiotic things from your traditions, your clergy man... so we all can laugh at ourselves.

Salafist group warns tomatoes are “Christian”

Posted by: Angie Nassar    share
Tuesday, June 12. 2012

(Photo via Facebook.com)

This makes perfect sense... because it makes no sense.
A Salafist group called the Popular Egyptian Islamic Association has come under fire after sending out a warning on Facebook urging its followers not to eat tomatoes because the vegetable (or fruit) is a Christian food.
The group posted a photo on its page of a tomato - which appears to reveal the shape of a cross after being cut in half – along with the message: “Eating tomatoes is forbidden because they are Christian. [The tomato] praises the cross instead of Allah and says that Allah is three (a reference to the Trinity).

[God help us]. I implore you to spread this photo because there is a sister from Palestine who saw the prophet of Allah [Mohammad] in a vision and he was crying, warning his nation against eating them [tomatoes]. If you don’t spread this [message], know that it is the devil who stopped you.”
Yeah... no.
Predictably, Facebook users expressed outrage over the post, which prompted the group to clarify its stance on the controversy with the update, “We didn’t say you can’t eat tomatoes. We said don’t cut it in [such a way that reveals] the cross shape.”

I see what you did there. Crazy religious nutjobs are still crazy.

I wonder if the Muslim Brotherhood’s presidential candidate, Mohammad Morsi, is happy about getting an endorsement from this group?


*(individuals are fine, it is personal specific bad experience, but cannot blame the group - if you legitimize that, then what others say about you would be equally true)
----
MikeGhouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily. 

TEXAS FAITH: Is religious freedom under attack in America?

Indeed, every group feels that their religious liberty is under attack. Is there a time in history when a group did not feel threatened by co-religionists, other religions and the governments? Here is a short history and possible solutions.

This a weekly column at Dallas Morning News, here is Mike’s contribution on the topic.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

Indeed, every group feels that their religious liberty is under attack. Is there a time in history when a group did not feel threatened by co-religionists, other religions and the governments? Here is a short history and possible solutions.

Jews have always been under attack. They felt at home in Spain, which was destroyed by butcher Ferdinand. Then, they felt at home in Germany, but the Holocaust tore them apart and their belief in humanity was shattered. Every day, they have to be on guard. Someone or another is making anti-Semitic comments.

Fred Phelps was in Dallas in July 2010 demonstrating hate against Jews. The anti-circumcision bills in San Francisco and Santa Monica in 2011 were irritants. Last month in Houston, the Jewish academy could not participate in a basketball game. It was set on Saturday, most Jews refrain from activity that day. Indeed, it is restricting their freedom to practice their religion by exclusion and being insensitive to their faith.

Hindus are an open game to evangelists. A few years ago, a Baptist convention made a declaration to harvest the "Poor Hindu souls". This year, Russians made a serious attempt to ban Bhagvad Gita, the Hindu Holy Book. In November 2011, a Kentucky state senator attacked Hinduism as an idolatrous belief. California textbooks portrayed Hinduism in negative light, so the battle is still on. There is a debate among Indians: Had Bobby Jindal of Hindu parents and Nikki Haley of Sikh parents practiced their faiths, and not converted to Christianity, would they have become governors?

Sikhs had to fight with Arizona to keep the name of a Sikh 9/11 victim on a memorial wall. Wicca had to fight for the headstone in Arlington Memorial Cemetery for those who died serving America. Of course, there are enough stories about Native Americans, atheists and others.

Muslim Americans strongly feel the noose tightening on their freedom. Most restrictions are coming out of sheer ignorance and a false understanding of what their faith is about, as they practice in America rather than Saudi Arabia or Iran. The senators and representatives who have initiated anti-Sharia bills can't even tell what they are opposing.

The irony is neither the organizations nor the Muslims are seeking Sharia to be a part of the American law. All they are asking is to have options to square personal matters between family members through a jury, mediation, court hearing or the Sharia guidelines. Indeed, it is no different than the option of Jews using Halaqa in their personal conflicts or going to a psychologist for counseling.

Most Christian denominations have been under attack by fellow Christians. Missionaries were unforgivably cruel to natives around the world, including America. Most of the groups that infringe on the freedom of others have also been a victim.

The Catholic diocese has rightly filed the law suit protesting the Government's intrusion in the practice of their faith that the employers provide workers free contraceptives. This is the right thing to do - to stand up for the freedom of religion. As a Muslim I have stood up for freedom of every religious group, in this case with the Catholic Church. Indeed, it was good to see evangelical leader Richard Land make the same pledge along with me on Sean Hannity Radio.

In summary, the issues are about whether a majority - or the government - can arrogantly push vulnerable ones into obeying.

We need to build an America where no one is apprehensive or afraid of the other. Each one of us needs to feel home, a home where everyone can drop his or her guards and lives freely.

It is our duty to safeguard the liberties endowed by our creator to practice our beliefs. It behooves for us to stand up for each other, why should anyone stand up for you, if you are not willing to do the same for them?

To see all the contributors, please visit Dallas Morning news at:http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/05/texas-faith-is-religious-freed.html

. . . . .

MikeGhouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily.

Bottom line prayers (wishes)

Prayers and wishes could be synonyms, when I pray for you or wish for you, the essence is similar. However if we call it prayers, some of our humanist brothers and sisters may feel excluded as prayers are usually associated with asking God to shower his blessings. However, if we call it a wish, we may have more inclusiveness in it. For linguistic purposes, I will use the word prayer to mean both prayers and wishes.

Years ago when my son Jeffrey was about eleven and my daughter Jasmina was six, I took them to every place of worship from Baha’i to Zoroastrian and every one in between. Invariably they would ask, “Dad, what are they saying?’ As a parent, I learned to translate those wishes in the most simplistic language for them and not get flabergasted to the likes of the question, " how were we born?"

In every religious tradition the meaning remains nearly the same;

- Thanking the Causer
- Praising the Lord
- Singing in the glory of the creator
- God is Pure
- God is the Creator
- God is the Nourisher
- God is the Sustainer
- Supplications
- Forgiveness
- Confessions
- Seeking help
- Wishing well for others

No matter how you translate, you could not veer off from the messages above. Of course the humility is signified with bowing, kneeling or prostrating or simply closing the eyes, different acts but the same value to the performer.

My kids and I have been to just about every place of worship, however my son missed the Synagogue and both of them have missed out visiting the Native traditions, the Ismaili and Bohra places of worship. My daughter however has been a witness to the conversation on Atheism or Humanism on my Radio shows which he missed. The idea is for them to know about various traditions and be open to the beauty of each one of them and prepare them to look at other humans being with dignity. We have to consciously create a better world.

These are some of the places we have been to;

- Bahais (Ben Moghaddas’s home),
- Buddhist (Grand Prairie, Richardson),
- Christian (Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic and Mormon)
- Hindu (Main temple, Swami Narayan, Caribbean, Hare Krishna),
- Jain (Richardson)
- Jewish (Temple Shalom & Emanuel)
- Islam (Richardson, Carrollton, Irving, Allen (Shia, Sunni and Ahmadiyya)
- Sikh (Garland)
- Zoroastrian (Home and other places)

A NEW BEGINNING IN RELIGIOUS DISCOURSE

Around 1994, my daughter and I were in the Dallas/ Fort Worth Hindu Temple. We were in the midst of the devotional songs in the sanctuary and as usual my little girl would get on her knees and look around as if no one is watching her and then whisper the standard question in my ears, to which I reel off.... God is the Nourisher, sustaine... sweeite they are saying to thank God for the life. OMG, I want those moments back in my life… how much I loved those tender moments!
She could not contain her excitement, right in the middle of the Bhajans, the six year old stands up with her eyes wide open, and in an excited voice blurts out, “Gee Dad, that’s cool, God can be worshipped in so many different ways!” Indeed that sentence has become a part of my teaching in Pluralism. Pluralism is simply respecting the otherness of other and appreciating the god given uniqueness of each one of the seven billion of us.

We can learn from children, they are pure, they see the beauty in diversity and cherish everywhich way one worships the divine.

I will leave you with this thought; as we would not give them rotten and stale food, why would we bias them towards fellow beings?

Here is something you can start, when you talk with your children inluding the grown up children, don’t upload them with hatred or ill-will towards any human or any religion. Can you do that?

The bottom line of your prayers and wishes is for the other person to be at peace and be happy.

My next essay will deal with our responsibility to raise Children with no malice. I will be happy to share and speak with your friends, place of worship, a family gathering or an office on how to co-exist in harmony by identifying real conflicts and not so real conflicts. We honor God by honoring every which way one acknowledges the causer of the universe.

God bless you.

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker, writer, optimist, educator and an activist of Pluralism, Justice, Islam, India, Peace and Civil Societies. He is a conflict mitigater and a goodwill nurturer offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day and is a frequent guest on the media. Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/