Indians to Celebrate Diwali Festival in Arua
Prithviraj speaking to journalists on Wednesday
ARUA. The Indian community in the West Nile sub-region are set to celebrate the Diwali festival in Arua city on Thursday, October 31, 2024.
Diwali is a festival of light and it is celebrated around the world by all Indians. It is one of the most important festivals of Hindus who are mostly in India and spread around the world doing business and studies. Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world (about 5000 years old).
Speaking to journalists at the Indian Hindu Temple in Arua city on Wednesday, Vaja Prithviraj, the secretary of the Indian Community in Arua, said Diwali is marked as victory of light or darkness of good or evil.
He noted that Diwali usually falls at the end of October and in the beginning of November every year and lasts for five days.
“This festival is for five days. It started on Tuesday and we are to celebrate it for five days, climaxing on Saturday. On the first day of the celebration, people usually buy gold, silver and other household things which are said to be lacking and this brings good will to the family and more in the whole year,” Prithviraj said
“So, tomorrow (Thursday) is Diwali which is the last day of our Hindu calendar. We are finishing the year 2,080 and we are going to enter in the year 2,081. Normally we follow the English calendar for our day-to-day routines and for our business purpose but our Indian calendar, we follow it for our traditional things, our burials, our marriages and other services,” Prithviraj added.
He observed that the main Diwali day is marked by lighting oil lamp, and decorating homes with colorful rangolis with new curtains, with new sofa cushions to ensure that everything is new because it is the last day of the year.
“Families and friends get together and we pray to our God for money, wealth and prosperity. In this big festive season, people exchange sweets, gifts, create a joyful atmosphere, fireworks are done to celebrate the new year which is coming and to say bye to the old year. This calendar of ours was made by our ancestors depending on the stars and galaxy and the whole universe which we are following since that time,” Prithviraj explained.
Prithviraj added that Diwali is also a day for forgiveness, strengthening relationships with everyone, forgetting about the bitter past and thinking of a brighter future.
He also said Diwali brings happiness, unity and hope for a brighter future among other things for Indians.
“So, we request all the people of Arua and West Nile at large to join us in this celebration. There are almost 230 Indians in Arua and almost 350 people in the whole West Nile. We are going to all come together to celebrate Diwali in a good manner here in Arua. So, all our local communities in West Nile are invited to come and celebrate with us,” Prithviraj said.
Patel Nilesh, a member of the Indian community in Arua, welcomed the Diwali day, saying he is praying for more blessings in terms of business and health in the coming year.
The Indian community has organized fireworks at Arua public primary school ground to welcome their new year today.