Diwali is one of those rare moments when there’s collective happiness in the country that is otherwise replete with immensely rowdy narratives. An elaborate, joyous celebration, the fervour of the festival of lights seems to have worked its charm this year as well.
This year, it is all the more pertinent because we are, at the moment, in the middle of grave crises in the form of political unrest. Our perpetually turbulent relations with the neighbouring country have hit a new low, and it is essential that we see that coy glimpse of tranquility somewhere, however brief the moment may be. Thankfully, this spirit of the good triumphing over the evil has been upheld by many all over the country to make the evening today memorable.
Reportedly thousands of greeting cards from students as well as sweets from civilians have been sent to various Army regiments in the country as a goodwill gesture. Notes of thanks sent to the soldiers also serve as prayers and blessings from the overwhelmed public. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Indians to send Diwali messages to the soldiers (#SandeshToSoldiers) following which celebrities and the common people alike have conveyed their regards in various way to the Army. At a distorting point such as the times we are in, especially after the Uri attacks and the surgical strike, this is a sincere morale booster as the Indian Army seems to be at the brink of a war-like situation.
According to a report, the Government will also disburse 10 per cent arrears to the Army. So the Indian soldiers will receive an interim payment before October 30. “The President has sanctioned payment of arrears on ad hoc basis. Arrears will be 10 per cent of the current drawn pay (including dearness allowance) for all soldiers, calculated from January 2016,” the report stated.
On similar lines, the common people have also displayed moving thoughtfulness this year as well, and tonight, Diwali will hopefully colour the darkest abysses. Around 35 visually challenged students in Pune at Niwant Andh Mukta Vikasalay (NAMV) participated in an interesting chocolate making activity. The foundation’s objective is to empower the students with skills that will enable them to live a dignified life. These visually impaired students have mostly passed Class 10. This year, they made almost 700 kg chocolates, the profits of which will be paid to them.
Similarly, efforts made by the underprivileged children in Gujarat are also coming to fruition. The street children in Rajkot have made decorative knick-knacks which are being sold by a trust called Pujit Rupani. The trust has organised an exhibition where items made by over 300 street children are being displayed. The proceeds from this exhibition will be used to fill the children’s Diwali with joy. On one hand, they struggled to find the opportunity to conveniently put their works up for public consumption, while on the other, the public is also delighted to have contributed to help them celebrate Diwali with zeal and gusto. Aesthetic earthen lamps and toys, photo frames and many other items of different designs and a choice of colours were bought by plenty of visitors who attended the exhibition.
In Chandigarh, the city’s Pollution Control Committee and Yuvsatta launched a Go Green Diwali Campaign in schools to encourage students to have a cracker-free festival. The campaign sought to involve the children in a discourse on keeping the environment clean and healthy.
One of the most endearing endeavours has also come from Kaithal in Haryana where residents and the district administration are giving away warm clothes to the ones who need them. Called the Neki ki deewar, it’s a charity wall where the residents have kept clothes and any poor person can come and take them. It’s indeed a warm gesture, not only because it’s Diwali but also because winter is at the doorstep and every year thousands of homeless people face the wrath of the cold winds on the streets. Many even succumb to the chills. luckily, the Neki ki deewar has received clothes from hundreds of people right from the first day. It worked both ways as the donors got rid of their old clothes while at the same time, the needy could take their pick without having to beg for it. More particularly, the Bicycle Club in Kaithal was behind this endeavour. Riding their bicycles, the club members are said to have toured different localities of the town to address the public and think of solutions to their various problems.
In Pune, when 13-year-old Kshirja Raje complained against the food cooked at home, her mother took her to the slum on the street behind her house where she saw the poor children of her own age who had neither proper clothes to wear nor basic food to eat. She had tears in her eyes when she saw the children run after the truck that delivered them food every day. This had a life altering impact upon her and this year she conducted a workshop for the underprivileged children at the Tata Memorial Hospital. She taught them to make handicrafts. She also makes lanterns and handicrafts herself and sells them to fund her endeavours. Earlier, she sold her lanterns to neighbours and relatives for Rs 5, but soon her mother lent her a hand and sold a few to her colleagues as well. In a couple of weeks, she could afford to buy Diwali sweets for the deprived children.
Reportedly, today Kshirja has a collection of 270 quilling 3D dolls. She has made all of these dolls that cater to different themes and she did it without any formal training.
A few years ago when Kshirja’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, she felt grateful once again to be able to afford the treatment, unlike millions of such patients who have no way to deal with it. The year her mother was battling cancer, Kshirja collected Rs 30,000 for cancer patients by selling the handicrafts she had made.
Even in terms of trade, Gujarat alone requires around 50 lakh kilos of colour for rangoli every year. Rangoli making starts five days prior to Diwali and lasts till two days after the festival. The city of Rajkot produces the maximum amount of colour for rangoli. In fact, Gujaratis abroad also use the Rajkot-made colour for their rangolis; it’s also in demand in other States such as Maharashtra.
Closer home, the app ‘Gift A Meal’ and the online forum called Planet Abled collaborated to gift meals to kids who live on Delhi streets. Sweets and handmade diyas were also handed to them to make Diwali special for their families. A home-cooked meal along with the goodies was worth only Rs 100 and owing to its online and social media promotions, the project could buy numerous meals for the needy on the streets.
In much relief to the street vendors, last week the Delhi Government also informed the Delhi High Court that no coercive action will be taken against them, at least till Diwali. The Aam Aadmi Party informed the office of the lieutenant-Governor that after serious discussion, the Government has decided to not take the street vendors to task, although it also stated that this was a stop-gap arrangement only till Diwali.
On the other hand, some outstation students in the Capital, who are not going home for Diwali, are setting up stalls on the streets to sell chocolates that they made to buy presents for the underprivileged children.
At the same time, 15 visually impaired women at Reay Road in Mumbai have made diyas to bring light into homes in the city. A potter in Dharavi slums sells plain, earthen lamps to the National Association for the Blind, an NGO that has enabled these women to paint and adorn the lamps which are sold to corporate groups, one such being Air India. These women earn about Rs 8,000 to Rs 14,000 per month for these items and they also make rakhis for the Indian Army as well as take up orders for weddings.
Even for some who do not wish to celebrate the festival, there lies some good news, especially if they live in Noida and commute to Delhi frequently. The DND or Delhi-Noida-Direct Flyway connecting the Capital to neighbouring Noida in Uttar Pradesh is now toll-free, much to the relief of lakhs of people who use the route.
Although this is a result of enormous protests that lasted two months during which the Allahabad High Court was appealed to intervene as protesters suspected overcharging and corruption in the DND project, many also interpret it as the perfect Diwali gift.
What makes Diwali special is how it brings together people from all faiths and backgrounds. It’s a uniform sentiment across the country and one of those rare times when everyone is more or less doing the same thing and sorting out the same plans for the festival. It’s that subtle ritual which unifies the most distant and different. It may be a Hindu festival but lots of Sikhs and Jains celebrate Diwali with as much fervour.
For the Jains, Diwali is an embodiment of the attainment of moksha (liberation from the cycle of life and death) as was preached by their founder, Mahavira. The Sikhs, too, celebrate it as a mark of respect for the teachings of Guru Hargobind (the sixth of their 10 gurus).
For the Hindus, of course, Diwali celebrates the return of lord Rama to his home in Ayodhya after 14 years in exile and defeating the powerful demon, Ravana, in lanka. To celebrate Rama’s return, his subjects had lit up his way with diyas, which is now an integral ritual of the festival.
But on a more deeper level, Diwali replaces ignorance with light and it seeks to cultivate an ambience of high spirits, fruitful knowledge and empowering spirituality. Both the Goddess of wealth, lakshmi, and the elephant-headed God of good fortune, Ganesha, are invoked for prosperity and auspicious endeavours.
Keeping in mind these objectives, the aforementioned people and organisations have strived to make the world a better place and it’s overwhelming to see them succeed.
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