Divali will be celebrated on Saturday 2nd November 2013 with the same reverence, pomp and festivities that we have become accustomed to over the decades. As a religious occasion, this day forms part of the national cultural landscape of the country as evident by the granting of a public holiday in recognition of this day on the Hindu calendar. This speaks volumes of the powers that be in that the diversity of the society is recognized and respected. Divali is celebrated at the personal level, the family level, the community level and the national level as well as within the various ministries, offices and institutions of the country. Indeed it is recognized and celebrated globally.
What is the appeal of Divali and what is the message that renders this occasion so relevant to all regardless of their diversity? Divali carries the message of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. Such a universal message and theme is undeniable relevant to all persons and societies globally as the innate good quality of man continues to struggles to come to the surface. The world has come to realize that good in the form of proper ethics, principles, self governance and positive behavior is critical to the well being of economies and societies. This was seen when the world economy was brought to its knees because of a lack of ethics, principles and self governance.
Darkness, ignorance and evil are the root causes of the mayhem we are seeing in our society and are the bedrock of the negativity we see manifested in the behavior of man. There is need to address these atrocities by shedding light and bringing about transformation through illumination.
Divali is one such occasion where this positive message can be shared and propagated. The blessings of Lakshmi Mata builds our inner sources of power and we are able to project this inner light on the external reality and change it. We all have different sources of inner power but that of principle- consciousness stands as one of the fundamental sources of powers. If we are devoid of a sense of right and wrong, good and bad, etc then we are doomed to inflict pain upon others through our actions. When we are principle- conscious all our actions are aligned with that which is good and positive and this is reflected in our actions and behaviors.
This occasion should serve as an opportunity for a reaffirmation to a positive life filled with goodness. In the world we live it is very easy to become cynical and lose hope in mankind and even in our selves. However we should take courage from the saints of old and the ancestors who ploughed through regardless of the challenges. The enemies may be different now, but the commitment required remains the same. As the old adage goes, the darkest hour is that one just before the dawn.
SWAHA calls upon the national community to embody this message of Divali and connect to the inner goodness and light. Let us all develop our principle- consciousness and let our inner light and goodness reflect on the outer reality. Let us bring about transformation and give hope to all who may have lost their way. Jai SWAHA Mata.
