Copyright stabroeknews
Last week, Guyanese were involved in or treated to an outstanding exhibition of spectacle, artistry, and ingenuity in the annual festival of Diwali. It was a mixture of modernity with tradition, and theatre in an incredible expression of faith. It was an impressive illustration of the ability in the Caribbean to use street theatre to dramatise belief. The breathtaking two-part demonstration involved the annual Diwali motorcade and the decoration with diyas and other lights sometimes enhanced by samples of the art of Rangoli. What could be observed were the usual cultural characteristics of this religious festival, but there was further significance in the notable advancements seen in this celebration. The Hindu religious Festival of Lights, Diwali is based on faith – spiritual beliefs rooted in traditions and myth, associated with literature, symbolism, and scriptures. But the sacred core of the practice by devotees is extended by a public outreach which makes use of theatre. During Diwali, the goddess Lakshmi, Hindu deity of lights, prosperity, wealth and fortune is invited into the homes of devotees to bestow upon them prosperity and good fortune. They light diyas to create a path for the entry of the deity. The diyas are also a symbol of the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, enlightenment over ignorance and prosperity over misfortune.
