Happy Diwali

Diwali is the Indian festival of lights, and light symbolizes hope and positive energy, it indicates the victory of good over evil; a new beginning; seeing the light at the end of tunnel and light is also a symbol of knowledge as it is an internationally used.

People decorate their homes with lights and Rangoli (colorful paintings on floor). Their surroundings filled with colorful light to enliven the day, to mark the dawn of a new era in one's life.

Although Diwali is a Hindu tradition, people of all faiths in India participate in celebrations - Hindus, Jains, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and others.

My childhood is filled with good memories of Diwali; the sparklers, the food and everything joyous you can imagine.
30 Pictures of Rangoli :
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=331967&id=851280248&l=56e2895228  

Happy Diwali to you my friends, may this Diwali bring happiness, serenity and peace to you.

Mike

Happy Diwali - Essence of the Indian festival of Lights

Diwali is the Indian festival of lights and is celebrated on a large scale throughout India and the Indian Diaspora. It is also celebrated in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Guyana, West Indies, Fiji, and of course, here in the United States. Diwali is about hope, Diwali brings light, Diwali signifies end of darkness and Diwali signifies end of ignorance and beginning of enlightenment.  You can greet your friends with any one of these phrases, "Happy Diwali", "Diwali Mubarak", Diwali ki Shubh Kamnayein" and the very Best of Diwali to you. 

Diwali is spelled differently, and is called by many names. There is Divali among others, and Deepavali, meaning the festival of lights. Although Diwali is a Hindu tradition, many a people of different faiths participate in celebrations - Jains, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Zoroastrians and others of India and Indian origins.

People decorate their homes with lights and Rangoli, i.e., colorful drawing in the front yard of the home, sidewalks, even roads in India with colorful powders or colorful pieces of chalk. Women and Children look forward to expressing their artistic talent in this season. Their surroundings filled with colorful lights to enliven the day, to mark the dawn of a new era in one's life.

My childhood is filled with good memories of Diwali; the sparklers, the food and everything joyous you can imagine.

A few years ago, Jyoti and Nishi Bhatia, former President of DFW Hindu Temple and President of Dallas Hindi Association respectively, asked me to speak about Diwali in a dinner gathering to a group of people from different faiths and cultures, and I cherished it, I love talking about Diwali, as its essence reflects the ideals of pluralism, and symbolizes hope and positive energy, victory of good over evil; a new beginning. It is indeed seeing the light at the end of tunnel.

  

Diwali Celebration is a part of the epic Ramayana, and the Ram Lila (enactment of the story on stage) is played out all night long in towns across India. I grew up watching it in front of my house, and my friends played different roles in the show. Indeed, one of my former relatives played Hanuman’s role.

It was a challenge for me to teach Ramayana to a group of people who knew nothing about it. It turned out to be a successful program. I prepared the nearly all white audience that I will be narrating the story through the power point and along will be reinforcing the names and roles of the key persons in the story and will ask them for feed back at the end. Friends, I cannot tell you the joy, the Bhatias and I felt when each one of them answered the questions from the story. They got it! It is a powerful story and takes about 30 minutes to narrate.

The epic is filled with educative tales, edifying poems, and fables. It is probably through their constant retelling in the villages over centuries that Hinduism is most efficiently disseminated from generation to generation.

Whenever a society rots with adharma (wrong path), where no one cares about the other, lying, stealing and dishonesty become rampant, Lord Krishna says,I will emerge among you and restore the righteousness and trust in the society to function smoothly." Zarathustra, Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, Krishna, Nanak, Mahavira, Confucius, Tao and others served the same purpose. it is almost like the laws of physics ; water finds its own level, and righteousness finds its own existence.

Rama is one such incarnation who reestablished the moral code for social conduct and proper relation of mankind to divinity. He was truthful and a just king.

Diwali symbolizes hope and positive energy

• People wear new clothes
• Share sweets as a symbol of happiness
• Renew the relationships
• Strengthen the bonds

It signifies a new beginning, starting out fresh.

• for most businesses it is the new financial year
• An inventory of assets is taken
• An assessment of family and relationship
• Last harvest for the farmers
• New things are bought

To those celebrating Diwali, I wish you, your families and loved ones Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak.”

Today, on this blessed day, we have a blank slate to start, let's plan on filling it with doing good things for ourselves, to our family, friends, community, nation and the world until next Diwali.

What are good things? Words and actions that bring peace, Mukti, salvation, Moksha, nirvana, Nijaat and freedom to us, yes us. There is so much of joy waiting to be had. If we can remove hatred and anger towards others, forgive others and ask for forgiveness (Michami Dukadam is a beautiful phrase the Jain's use), then a blissful year is sure to come for each one of you and me.

• May this Diwali purge your heart, mind and soul from hate, malice, anger and ill-will;
• May this Diwali open your hearts and minds towards fellow being;
• May this Diwali brighten your life, and may this Diwali mark the dawn of a new era;

Muslims are a big part of Diwali as well, and innumerable poets have written poetries and songs about Diwali. Here is my effort, I wrote this seven years ago on the occasion when Diwali and Ramadan were celebrated around the same time.

ये मेरी दिवाली है, ये मेरी ईद है
दोनों में खुशी ही खुशी है

A meri diwali hai, a meri eid hai
donon may khushi hi khushi hai -

दिवाली से नया साल शुरू होता है
रमज़ान एक नया इंसान बनाता है

 Diwali say naya saal shuru hota hai
Ramzan ek naya insaan banata hai -

दिवाली मैं एक एक बात का हिसाब होता है
रमज़ान में हर बात का रिव्यू होता है

 Diwali may ek ek baat ka hisab hota hai
Ramzan may her baat ka review hota hai -

दिवाली नए साल के लिए क्लीन स्लेट देता है
रमज़ान पिछले साल का स्लेट क्लीन करता है

Diwali nayay saal ke liye clean slate deta hai
Ramzan pichlay saal ki slate clean karta hai -

बात ही बात में मैंने एक नयी नज़्म लिख दी साहिर
दिवाली और रमज़ान से सबका अच्छा ही होता है

Baat hi baat may, my nay a sher likh diya Sahir
Diwali aur Ramzan say subka acha hi hota hai

Happy Diwali to you my friends, may this Diwali bring happiness, serenity and peace to you. Amen!

दोनों में खुशी ही खुशी है

Thank you
mike
Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916 text/talk

Published at:

1. www.TheGhouseDiary.com
2. http://foundationforpluralism.blogspot.com
3. http://MikeGhouseforIndia.blogspot.com
4. https://www.saddahaq.com/humaninterest/EssenceOfDiwali/essence-of-diwali-the-indian-festival-of-lights

...............................................................................................................................
Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism at work place, politics, religion, society, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, food and foreign policy. All about him is listed in several links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com and 10 other blogs. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

The essence of Diwali; Happy Diwali

Special write up for Panorama Magazine
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-essence-of-diwali-happy-diwali.html

Diwali is the Indian festival of lights and is celebrated on a large scale throughout India and the Indian Diaspora. It is also celebrated in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Guyana, West Indies,  Fiji,  and of course, here in the United States.

Thanks to the Gupta’s for placing Dallas on the World Map of Diwali Celebrations. I believe it is one of the biggest celebrations in the United States, if not the biggest in the western Hemisphere.  Ramesh Gupta initiated the event eight years ago, fully supported, encouraged and funded by the Dallas billionaire couple Satish and Yasmin Gupta. 

Nearly 50,000 people attend the event. First it was held in Texas Stadium, former home of the Dallas Cowboys and now it is held at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Fair Park, Dallas, where college football is played and home to Texas State Fair.

 There is nothing like it.  Satish Gupta, president of the organizations writes this information on their website, http://www.dfwdiwalimela.com/, “This year again we have decided to pack all the fun for children, youth, adults and seniors. From Ram Leela and Bollywood singers to spectacular fireworks, elephant rides to slides, Cultural dances to mouth watering Indian food, all packed in one of the biggest Carnival of its kind in America. There will be three elephants and two camels available for the rides this year! We bring all this to you at a very minimal cost to you.”

Diwali is spelled differently, and is called by many names.  There is Divali among others, and Deepavali, meaning the festival of lights.  Although Diwali is a Hindu tradition, people of all faiths participate in celebrations - Hindus, Jains, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Zoroastrians and others.

People decorate their homes with lights and Rangoli, i.e., colorful drawing in the front yard of the home, sidewalks, even roads in India with colorful powders or colorful pieces of chalk. Women and Children look forward to express their artistic talent in this season. Their surroundings filled with colorful lights to enliven the day, to mark the dawn of a new era in one's life.

My childhood is filled with good memories of Diwali; the sparklers, the food and everything joyous you can imagine.

A few years ago, Jyoti and Nishi Bhatia, former President of DFW Hindu Temple and President of Dallas Hindi Association respectively, asked me to speak about Diwali in a dinner gathering to a group of people from different faiths and cultures, and I cherished it, I love talking about Diwali, as its essence reflects the ideals of pluralism, and symbolizes hope and positive energy, victory of good over evil; a new beginning.  It is indeed seeing the light at the end of tunnel.

Diwali Celebration is a part of the epic Ramayana, and the Ram Lila is played out all night long in towns across India. I grew up watching it in front of my house, and my friends played different roles in the show. Indeed, one of my former relatives played Hanuman’s role.


It was a challenge for me to teach Ramayana to a group of people who knew nothing about it.  It turned out to be a successful program. I prepared the nearly all white audience that I will be narrating the story through the power point and along will be reinforcing the names and roles of the key persons in the story and will ask them for feed back at the end.  Friends, I cannot tell you the joy, the Bhatias and I felt when each one of them answered the questions from the story. They got it!  It is a powerful story and takes about 30 minutes to narrate.

The epic is filled with educative tales, edifying poems, and fables. It is probably through their constant retelling in the villages over centuries that Hinduism is most efficiently disseminated from generation to generation... 

Whenever a society rots with adharma (wrong path), where no one cares about the other, lying, stealing and dishonesty become rampant, Lord Krishna says, I will emerge among you and restore the righteousness and trust in the society to function smoothly.

 Zarathustra,  Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad,  Krishna, Nanak, Mahavira, Confucius, Tao  and others served the same purpose… it is almost like the laws of physics ; water finds its own level, and righteousness finds its own existence.

Rama is one such incarnation who reestablished the moral code for social conduct and proper relation of mankind to divinity.  He was truthful and a just king.  

The full story with the title “Essence of Diwali” will be available to read at www.TheGhouseDiary.com and other sites listed at www.MikeGhouse.net

Diwali symbolizes hope and positive energy

• ·         People wear new clothes
• ·         Share sweets as a symbol of happiness
• ·         Renew the relationships
• ·         Strengthen the bonds

It signifies a new beginning, starting out fresh.

• for most businesses it is the new financial year
• An inventory of assets is taken
• An assessment of family and relationship 
•  Last harvest for the farmers
•  New things are bought

________________________

President Obama in his message last Diwali said it perfectly,

“Many who observe this holiday will light the Diya, or lamp, which symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. As that lamp is lit, we should all recommit ourselves to bring light to any place still facing darkness. Earlier this year, we were reminded of the evil that exists in the world when a gunman walked into the Sikh Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and opened fire. In the wake of that horrible tragedy, we saw the resilience of a community that drew strength from their faith and a sense of solidarity with their neighbors, Sikh and non-Sikh alike. We also saw compassion and love, in the heroic actions of the first responders and the outpouring of support from people across the country. Out of a day of sadness, we were reminded that the beauty of America remains our diversity, and our right to religious freedom.

To those celebrating Diwali, I wish you, your families and loved ones Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak.”
________________________

Today, on this blessed day, we have a blank slate to start, let's plan on filling it with doing good things for ourselves, to our family, friends, community, nation and the world until next Diwali.

What are good things?  Words and actions that bring peace, Mukti, salvation, Moksha, nirvana, Nijaat and freedom to us, yes us. There is so much of joy waiting to be had. If we can remove hatred and anger towards others, forgive others and ask for forgiveness (Michami Dukadam is a beautiful phrase the Jain's use), then a blissful year is sure to come for each one of you and me.

• May this Diwali purge your heart, mind and soul from hate, malice, anger and ill-will;
• May this Diwali open your hearts and minds towards fellow being;
• May this Diwali brighten your life, and may this Diwali mark the dawn of a new era;

Muslims are a big part of Diwali as well, and innumerable poets have written poetries and songs about Diwali.  Here is my effort, I wrote this seven years ago on  the occasion when Diwali and Ramadan were celebrated around the same time.

ये मेरी दिवाली है, ये मेरी ईद है

दोनों में खुशी ही खुशी है

A meri diwali hai, a meri eid hai

donon may khushi hi khushi hai
-

दिवाली से नया साल शुरू होता है

रमज़ान एक नया इंसान बनाता है

Diwali say naya saal shuru hota hai

Ramzan ek naya insaan banata hai
-

दिवाली मैं एक एक बात का हिसाब होता है

रमज़ान में हर बात का रिव्यू होता है

Diwali may ek ek baat ka hisab hota hai

Ramzan may her baat ka review hota hai
-

दिवाली नए साल के लिए क्लीन स्लेट देता है

रमज़ान पिछले साल का स्लेट क्लीन करता है

Diwali nayay saal ke liye clean slate deta hai

Ramzan pichlay saal ki slate clean karta hai
-

बात ही बात में मैंने एक नयी नज़्म लिख दी साहिर

दिवाली और रमज़ान से सबका अच्छा ही होता है

Baat hi baat may, my nay a sher likh diya Sahir

Diwali aur Ramzan say subka acha hi hota hai

Shubh kamnaein | Diwali Mubarak | Blessed Diwali.

Happy Diwali to you my friends, may this Diwali bring happiness, serenity and peace to you. Amen!

Note:  I have been writing the essence of every religious festival  for the last twenty years. Just plug in the word in the search box at www.TheGhouseDiary.com and www.WisdomofReligion.com

...............................................................................................................................

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in Standing up for others and has done that throughout his life as an activist. Mike has a presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work through many links.

Pakistan ambassador breaks new ground celebrating Diwali with Indians in Beijing

May this trend continue everywhere.

This highlights a major factor in nation(s) building - you take on step forward to nurture goodwill, the other is bound to take a similar step, don't drop if the other does not match... keep doing, some day he or she will.

Honestly, all the Ambassadors can take that initiative and give birth to a new colossal energy. I happen to watch Sahar Show, a poor Pakistani show, unlike many a great shows that I have been watching recently with Yasmeen. I do not watch TV... except a few shows with her. Last evening he was singing Indian Songs as a part of the entertainment, it was very normal for the audience and him... no condescending attitudes but plain normal attitude. .. when you and I, the individuals drop the small barriers and act, merely act as people of goodwill and good faith and not let pettiness come in our way... we can change things.

The fodder for the politicians is hate and anti-India or anti-Pakistan propaganda, because there are a few chamchas who clap for their heroism, as if the idiots fill their belly with it. As the general population we need to be free from ill-will, let the politicians feed of that...

Some 10 years ago, I was in India consular office in Houston with my late wife's passport. Consular General Wangdi gave tremendous respect and had me and Najma sit in his office and got her passport stamped for multiple visits. The assistant who worked on the passport had stories to tell... great stories of how a Pakistani taxi driver took him in the middle of the night to a hospital with his sick daughter and did not charge him..these Ambassadors can count many great stories on both sides... It is time for them to take initiatives and change.. the upper layers will possibly see the goodness. The visionary Moraji Desai saw that and others can see it too.

For those petty fellow Indians, I have had a chance to marry a Mexican girl, an Algerian Girl and a Chinese girl after Najma... fortunately I met this Pakistani Girl whom I married and who is a blessing in my life. A handful of Indians in my town have a problem - may be 9 out of 80,000 Indians and there are six Pakistanis of the 20,000 some Pakistanis who are hateful towards India and me. Are they significant?

Next time one spills hate for India or Pakistan, be blunt and ask them - does this feed your family? Does this make your heart purer? If it is an older man, ask them, if he is ever going to flush out the sewer from his heart? Here is a real good story to read and watch this story. http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2011/08/moment-of-humanity-after-46-years-of.html

We have to continue to do the good, there is hope in it and there is goodness in it for all. Let us become the Ambassadors of peace whether the other also acts good or not.

Happy Diwali - http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2011/10/happy-diwali-essence-of-diwali.html

Mike Ghouse

Committed to Cohesive Societies

www.MikeGhouse.net

Pakistan ambassador breaks new ground celebrating Diwali with Indians in Beijing

Saibal DasguptaSaibal Dasgupta, TNN | Oct 30, 2011, 05.54PM IST

BEIJING: India-Pakistan relations sparkled for a while as Pakistani ambassador Masood Khan and his wife, Zohra, took the rare step of participating in Diwali celebrations at the Indian embassy premises here Saturday evening. Khan also waved at artists performing on the stage and the assembled Indians as a gesture of bonhomie.

The move comes soon after Indian ambassador S Jaishankar visited the Pakistani embassy to pay his condolences over the recent demise of Begum Nusrat Bhutto, the wife and mother of two different prime ministers of Pakistan and the mother-in-law of Asif Ali Zardari, the present one.

The Khans stayed for close to two hours and joined Indian ambassador S.Jaishankar for dinner along with Sultan Ahmad Baheri, the ambassador of Afghanistan and Sun Weidong, deputy director general of the department of Asian affairs in the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs. The event took on a diplomatic hue as this is the first time in many years that a Pakistani ambassador has visited the Indian occasion on a festive occasion.

The event attended by Indians living in Beijing included a Bharat Natyam performance by Chinese dancer Jin Shanshan and display of fire crackers, which is usually not allowed outside the embassy premises in Beijing.

Timesofindia.com