Shubh Divali

Today was Divali, the Hindu festival of lights, honoring Mother Lakshmi and the return of Lord Rama from exile.

The build up to Divali, a public holiday, was evident over the last two weeks.  From the traditional, outdoor theatrical reenactments of stories from Hindu spiritual texts and pujas (prayers) at Hindu homes, to the more secular Divali celebrations at schools, government ministries and parks, not to mention the Divali sales.  The center of activities was at the Divali Nagar expo in Chaguanas with its vendors and nightly cultural performances.  I wanted to experience it but, between the heavy rain and my schedule over the past few days, I didn’t make the trip to central Trinidad.

Lighting Deyas at Adam Smith Square

The climax on Divali is the lighting of deyas, little clay pots filled with oil and a floating wick, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.  As a child, I remember devouring my bag of Indian delicacies from our next door neighbor as we drove around my neighborhood in the East staring in awe at lights.  Houses are transformed into glittering palaces, and in open spaces, deyas are placed on bamboo bent into creative shapes and designs.

Tonight I went to Adam Smith square where people of every age and ethnicity gathered around wooden frames with lights.  Adults caught up with friends, while children ran around or lit deyas, enjoying the only time they could play with fire without an adult yelling at them to stop.  A shrine to Hindu deities was the centerpiece.  It was a less elaborate “town” version of Divali, but still evoked a wonderful and uniquely Trini sense of community.

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