Every year, Diwali is heavily celebrated around the world and even more so in the Metro Vancouver area, a five day festival symbolizing the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance”.
Yet, as 2020 has made so common, dark and trying times loom large as Diwali prepares to be celebrated differently.
For many people, Diwali is the single most important celebration in the Hindu calendar. Traditional lighting of clay lanterns known as ‘diya’ and adorn their homes with bright colours. A central and seemingly irreplaceable part of the celebrations is to renew social connections by visiting family and provide gifts, company, necessities and warmth. Thanks to the pandemic that has ravaged its way over many things over the last year, these types of cultural celebrations will be off the table.
The Diwali experience and how it is effected by COVID-19 offers a relevant outlook on what the upcoming holiday season may look like if cases don’t come back down to normality soon within the Lower Mainland. Celebrating integral family holidays such as Christmas, ringing in the New Year, Hanukkah or even arranging a meeting or dinner of some sort with loved ones are all unrealistic. People finding a new way to celebrate through Diwali also offer a lesson in patience and durability.
In Metro Vancouver, Diwali is not going to be pushed tot he side or forgotten. There is a virtual festival to commence celebrations at DiwaliFest.ca and pre recorded performances can be found on Diwali Fest’s YouTube channel.
Local companies that annually contribute to traction with contests and sales of goods from the Punjabi market, have all moved their platforms to the virtual world and created more opportunity for Diwali to be properly celebrated in the darkest times in memory.
“Light over darkness, hope over despair and knowledge over ignorance.”
Words with meaning never so relevant than today and the experience of living in 2020. A lesson can be taken from the celebrations of Diwali for all to learn.
