Today is the big day that all children – and many adults, too – have been waiting for the whole year long: it is Diwali. Diwali, or Deepawali, is the festival of lights and for half of India the last day of the year. As I told you yesterday already, the Ashram atmosphere is one of joyous anticipation at the moment. In the afternoon we will start setting the oil lamps which we will light in the evening. Everyone will wear new clothes and we will eat sweets and enjoy the festivities. What about the religious part of this holiday, you ask? Well, let me explain you my thoughts about this.
You may all very well know that I don’t believe in any rituals or ceremonies. On Diwali, Hindus worship the Goddess Lakshmi and ask her for her blessing which is said to bring prosperity and wealth. I don’t believe that lighting a candle in front of a statue or a painting will make you any richer than you already are. I also don’t believe that there is any special blessing that you receive from putting flowers in front of the statue or placing the sweets at the altar before eating them.
Nevertheless, when my parents and my grandmother, who are still religious, have done their preparations for their ritual and ceremony, they call the rest of the family together. I, just like my wife and brothers, join the Ashram family there, in front of the statues. Surely not for worshipping but simply for the spirit of the celebration. Our parents know that none of us is religious anymore. We have talked and they know our belief and attitude. I would not mind not having the ritual in our home but they would. For them it belongs to the day, it is a part of the celebration and seeing their joy and happiness, we join them. I don’t see it as a religious act, I see this as a part of the family celebration.
For me this could take place on any other day, too. I don’t mind celebrating Diwali although I don’t see myself as a Hindu. In the same way we celebrate Christmas although we are not Christian. Of course, with my anti-religious attitude I could refuse celebrating anything that is connected with religion and instead sit grumpily in my home, angry about the world that celebrates. That would mean however that the reasons to celebrate would be drastically reduced and I would be miserable throughout most of the year because people here celebrate a lot of religious occasions. I don’t see why I should make myself miserable! Instead I just enjoy, take life as it comes while taking care not to raise any superstitions.
The important part of the celebration is simply walking in our garden and enjoying the many lights, eating a festive dinner with lots of sweets and taking pictures with everyone in their beautiful clothes. Spreading love, celebrating the evening and being together.
A Happy Diwali to all of you!
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