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Jas Daine, 49, of Sutton Coldfield, would normally spend Diwali visiting her mother and siblings, enjoying a meal together and a fireworks display. They would also visit the local Sikh temple to light a candle and pray, grateful for Guru Hargobind’s release from his Indian prison in 1619, the reason why Sikhs celebrate Bandi Shor Divas (Prisoner’s Liberation Day) in November.
© Provided by The Independent
But this year, along with the Hindu and Jain families who also celebrate the date, they cannot leave home, except for essential reasons such as work, buying food or exercising. Diwali has become the latest victim of the coronavirus lockdown. Following in the now-hackneyed footsteps of Eid, Ramadan, Rosh Hashanah and others, the festival of lights is the latest religious holiday to have fallen victim to the unprecedented changes needed by the pandemic.
Instead, Daine has decided to mobilize his neighborhood, in the local WhatsApp group, and ask people to put tealight candles in their entrances. “I thought it would be a really good idea if we celebrate it like a street, we have a really lovely community and we’ve celebrated all kinds of things like Halloween and Remembrance Day, now Diwali,” he says.
The five-day show – which this year began on November 12 and culminates with the main day of celebration on Saturday the 14th – is normally characterized by conviviality, meals, games, gifts, spring cleaning and lighting the home with candles or lamps. It symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil, but in a year that has categorically brought Great Britain much hardship – 50,000 dead and an economy in freefall – even the Diwali promise of new beginnings has had to give in to the reality of the situation.
On November 9, Boris Johnson issued a message of thanks to those who were forced to cancel plans, saying, “I want to thank you all for the incredible role you are playing in our battle against Covid-19,” adding that “we will overcome this … just when Lord Rama and his wife Sita found their way home after the defeat of the demon king Ravana. ”
But what are the 800,000 Hindus and 400,000 Sikhs across the UK planning to do over the weekend? Birmingham’s well-attended Festival of Light will be streamed online, and Sunday’s Soho Road festival has also been canceled. The famous Neasden Temple in west London, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in August, has also had to close its doors.
Nayana Prakash, 26, cannot celebrate with her Hindu family this year because her parents live in Dubai and cannot travel. The family usually always begins the day of the festivities with a pooja (a small religious ritual), before eating a big meal, lots of Indian sweets and dressing up in a new wardrobe. “Having a party is a pretty typical way to celebrate and when I was little we would attend one or organize one every year without fail,” she says. The independent.
This year, Prakash is celebrating with her housemates in Oxford with a meal and a fireworks display. “None of them are Indian or celebrate Diwali, but it’s nice to be able to commemorate this day in some way,” he says. She is also considering going for a walk with a friend to share some Indian sweets her parents have posted in the Middle East.
He admits that it is “frustrating” that this friend cannot enter the house because they do not live together. “A lot of this is about inviting someone to your home. It has been such a hard year that it would have been incredible to organize a party, “he explains. “But I stopped having a normal Diwali a long time ago. It’s just not a normal year. “
Tarun, 40, who lives in South East London with his wife and two children, usually celebrates with his wider family as well. They engage in group prayer before guests arrive and light diyas (candles) in every room of the house and outside, before drinking and eating together. “Usually Scottish with dudes and fried unhealthy vegetarian food,” he says. The day ends with fireworks.
This year, Tarun’s family still plans to have a small gathering of two households, but without the fireworks. “We are aware that we are breaking the rules, we just want to be discreet about it …[but] the children are disappointed because there are no fireworks, ”he says. “However, it won’t be the same as usual, which is a shame.”
Dipika Mummery, 38, from Manchester, usually visited her family in Bolton and spent the day eating. “My favorite part of the feast is always an amazing deep fried sweet cake called ghughra. I guess they are some kind of Indian mince pie, but even more caloric,” he says. Then they went to the temple, said prayers, and met friends.
This year, although they are planning a quiet one, alone. “I will observe Diwali at home and try to Zoom with my mom and brother at some point … it will feel really strange not to have that this year, at a time when many of us would really love to have something to celebrate.” But her spirits have been lifted with a care package from her mother full of goodies.
Even those who plan to stick to the rules, like Prakash and Mummery, are frustrated because it seems that more emphasis is being placed on saving Christmas than other religious festivals. “It completely ignores the importance of festivals like Eid and Diwali and implies that even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, you have to do your bit for the people who do,” Prakash says.
On Saturday, religious leaders, local councils and politicians will hope that these frustrations will not lead to a violation of the rules and will continue to encourage people to go online. Raj Manvinder Singh Kang of the Sikh Council said: “This year things will be different to reflect the current Covid-19 guidelines. The Gurdwaras have had to find alternative ways to ensure [the] the community may still be connected, so many have set up live streaming programs. “
And Diwali is not just out of the question for people in England: In India, health officials have warned that the capital, Delhi, could become a “wide-spread event” if the public celebrates without restrictions. But that doesn’t make it any less disappointing for those hoping the shutdown will end here on December 2, knowing that Christmas could still go on.
Whether or not Johnson will avoid being the “Grinch Who Stole Christmas” remains to be seen, but for millions of people across the UK, the coronavirus has already taken away their special holidays, holidays and holidays. Despite acknowledging the medical necessity behind the measures, people are learning to smile and bear the burden of sacrifice that weighs on their community.
