On Novemeber 1st while Christians honored their blessed saints for All Saints Day, Magda and I celebrated our first Hindu holiday, Diwali a festival of light. On this day, Hindus celebrate the triumph of good over evil by lighting their homes with diyas, small homemade candles fashioned out of red ceramic dishes, coconut oil and twisted cloth for a wick. Mother Lachme, one of the ten main deities of the religion, is the “patron saint” of these festivities.
Magda and I were invited to a student’s home in a neighboring village to celebrate. We ate 7 curry with rice out of a large lotus leaf- with our fingers, a skill we’ve been slowly cultivating. Afterwards we helped the family light over 500 diyas which they then in turn placed in neat rows around their yard. We also lit sparklers, flares, and spun steel wool- a very dangerous form of entertainment that involves steel wool. Imagine SOS pads shoved on the end of a wire coat hanger, set ablaze, and then spun around over your head sending a smattering of golden sparks in all directions. After we had our fun with fire, we walked down the street admiring the other Hindu houses swathed in light. Note: If there is a death in the family, they observe but do not participate in the fanfare.
All and all, Diwali was a very unique experience and will without a doubt prove to be one of my favorite memories of Guyana.
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