TRINIDAD/TOBAGO, October 25, 2024 (South Asia Monitor, by Paras Ramoutar): Diwali continues to generate a national appeal from all sectors of the populace, whether at Divali Nagar or spread throughout the nation. Diwali promotes multiculturalism and secularism and it has become an institution in Trinidad and Tobago, and it is one such festival that continuously knits mankind with the Creator. The teachings, the messages, the philosophy are embedded in our spiritual texts, all of which have given hope, faith, forbearance and tenacity to past generations, and will certainly do the same for us, and future generations. The prescription for all social, economic, cultural and political challenges will be found in the great religions of mankind. Hindus and the Indian diaspora have an integral part in this process. We must not replace our sacred religious texts with political manifestos, which in some cases have become the norm.

The observance of Diwali has its roots 186 years ago with the arrival of the first of East Indians from India, principally Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They not only contributed to socio-economic development, but engineered a religious and cultural platform, all of which we willingly respect and adore. The Indian diaspora proudly celebrates numerous East Indian religious festivals such as Lord Ganesh Ustav, Lord Hanuman Jayanti, Ram Naumi, Lord Krishna Janamasti, Holi, and a network of other religious and spiritual occasions. The lights of Diwali must not be a one-day affair, but it must become part of mankind’s natural instincts, and its observance must be respected, and it is not an occasion for fetes, but one of sacredness.

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https://www.southasiamonitor.org/open-forum/diwali-trinidad-and-tobago-renewing-faith-hinduism-and-indian-culture

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