The Festival of Diwali

The Importance

Diwali, one of the most important festivals of Hindus, was just around the corner. The importance of this festival lies in the fact that it marks the victory of good over evil while welcoming prosperity and sustainability in the houses of those who celebrate it wholeheartedly. It is celebrated in a very colourful and vibrant manner as homes are cleaned and decorated in full spirit and sweets are made with pure love. Moreover, the deafening and loud sounds of firecrackers are what completes the Diwali.

But I barely get to enjoy the entire essence of Diwali…

As an 18-year old Hindu living in Pakistan, I have never celebrated in Diwali in its truest form. For me, it has always been a few-hour event, rather than a full-fledge occasion. I recall, as a school going student, whenever Diwali would be around, mid-term exams would immediately follow. While everyone would be out there preparing for Pooja, we kids would be in a room preparing for exams. Going to school on the day of the festival was altogether a different pain. You wake up on a festival day only to dress up for school and leave with a sad smile.

Like everyone else, I have always been excited about Diwali shopping. However, there would be no festive collection on stores specifically for Diwali. We end up buying leftover clothes from Eid collection. As a kid, I got excited about the thought of new clothes! But now as an adult, I feel neglected and overlooked for myself and for my community as well.

Moreover, the load shedding in Pakistan plays its part beautifully in making Diwali even more bleak and gloomy for us. Especially, in small towns, where hours of load shedding are common and everyone is waiting for only two hours of electricity to have a luminous house on the night of Diwali.

The Good Bits

Nonetheless, there are some good bits in this festival which I have come to cherish over time. One is the inclusivity that members of other communities show towards us. We celebrate together by coming over dinner and by giving gifts. By accepting and enjoying the Diwali Mithai (Sweets)  with a big smile, we feel part of a larger community despite the many prejudices against us from the authorities. The brighter part for me has always been able to celebrate this festival with my family in a conventional way if it is only for a few hours.