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by Sivanandini Duraiswamy

Time and tide wait for no man and the ever flowing time has completed another year and yet another Deepavali is dawning today.

While we celebrate the Festival of Lights let us pause a while to think of our country - whether life is bright for us outside and are we also illumined inside because there is so much crime, poverty, hatred and anger around us. As a nation we must destroy our enemies and keep vigilance to defend our freedom.

However, we as a people must grow in the country's economic well-being and must be trained and educated to live harmoniously with one another in our plural society.

We seem to have failed to reflect on these tendencies which keep besetting us. Nay we have become indifferent to our own welfare and the welfare of others.

Having taken this human birth, our life has become a constant struggle with the evil tendencies of anger, hatred, pride and lust destroying our well being.

The need of the hour thus is to bring back into our lives and more so into public life the principles of truth and moral purity, as enunciated by Gandhiji, the Mahatma, spiritualising every aspect of life - political, social, educational and economic spheres.

And on this sacred day of Deepavali when it is dark all round us, we Hindus illuminate our homes with lights known in 'chiiti vilakku'. These are the lamps of hope and joy.

"Which else shall beautify a home but the flame of a lovely lamp", asks the poet glorifying these lovely lamps of Deepavali.

The little lights, mysteriously beautiful in the row of lamps, proclaim our inherent and deep seated wish to be free from the path of darkness misery and evil, reminding us again in the words of the poet, that the "Light of wisdom deep shall adorn the mind."

This tells us that our essential nature is Light - "That Light of all light of all lights which is said to be beyond darkness, the Atman," says the Baghavad Gita.

The origins of Deepavali are wrapped in the mist of antiquity. Tradition has associated it with Narakasura Samharam, the destruction of Naraka, the demon personify'g ignorance, lust v hatred by Lord Sri Krishna, restoring dharma and peace. The story of Naraka is strange perhaps the battle episode gruesome but it brings with it a wonderful message, the message of the removal of darkness, sorrow and hatred ushering in enlightenment, freedom, peace, joy and cheer the spirit and essence of the Deepavali message. The saga of lights also reminds us that within each one of us are the narakasuras, the evil tendencies which have grown upon us and which must necessarily be removed through the Light of Knowledge in order that we may attain our goal. This year in Sri Lanka, the Deepavali celebrations will naturally reflect the emerging scenario that is taking place around us.

A spirit of understanding is being suffused amidst all the communities and a moment of truth seems to be dawning with the spirit of co-operation and reconciliation in the air, including the finding of a solution to the ethnic problem not on the battle field but at the negotiating table. It is a time for joy, a time for sharing and caring and a time to forgive, forget and start a-new. The yearning prayer of the Vedic sages, "Tamasomaa jyotir gamaya," through the Light of Knowledge lead us O Lord from darkness unto Light,' should be the guiding light for a life more beautiful and an existence more spiritual.

May we all become the lighted deepams of Deepavali helping to light more lamps to make this Island of ours, a better place to live in and understand the ideal of togetherness and universal love.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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