Divali celebrations

The festivities for Divali, in Mauritius or wherever the Indian Diaspora has migrated, start way before the official, celebrating day, which falls on October 19 this year. In Mauritius, for instance, the preparations start at least two weeks earlier.

First, there’s going to be a lot of cleaning. Curtains are washed and furniture is dusted over. Each corner of the house, from rooftops to the floors needs to be spotless, even the exteriors are not spared when pristine water is used to wash the patio, the walls inside and outside and even the sidewalk in front of the yard, all conducted with extreme excitement. In the Hindu belief, Goddess Lakshmi, is the supreme deity for this festival.

After all this grand makeover, it is now time to set up the lights. A trip along Hindu Belts like Triolet in the north of Mauritius or Vacoas in Plaines Wilhems offer a wide array of lightening designs. It is no longer simply ‘diyas’ (earthen lamps), but intricately designed light bulbs. The Hindus, nowadays, exercise a blend of both traditional and modern approaches.
Divali, in western countries, has often been compared to Christmas because of the lights and obviously, the shopping frenzy. Families belonging to the Hindu faith need new, colorful, glittering, fashionable clothing and other items, and not to forget, the latest designs from head to toe.

Next comes the ‘piece de résistance’: the Divali sweets. This is a very busy period for the ladies of the house who are on their feet for these two weeks and at the oven measuring and preparing a variety of ‘mithais’ (sweets) that will be principally used initially for the ‘Lakshmi pooja’ (prayers and offerings to Goddess Lakshmi, families pray not only for enlightenment but also for wealth in one’s life). The first light, the ‘diya’, is also for Goddess Lakshmi.

As soon as dusk sets in, all the other lights are set on and the house and as well as the whole country is illuminated. The neighborly spirit sets in and the sharing out of sweets among neighbors of all faiths in Mauritius begins. The festival of lights also celebrates the coming together of different ethnicities.    

The celebrations continue in a frenzy of firecrackers that further adds to the attraction of the lights and resounds in all Hindu Belts across Mauritius and that will last well through the night.  This is a festival that brings people together and the lights signify the triumph of good over evil.