Web Desk: Hindu community in Pakistan, like elsewhere in the world, celebrated Diwali.Pakistan Hindu Council had attributed this year’s Diwali to immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The annual festival of lights is marked by festive gatherings, fireworks displays, feasts and prayers.
In his felicitation message on the occasion, Patron-in-Chief Pakistan Hindu Council Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said this festival is victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.
Hindu community celebrated Diwali on all three days with religious fervor.
The hindu temples were lit and decorated with colourful fairy lights and clay lamps, also those battery-operated plastic lamps and candles for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
The entrance of each home was also decorated with pretty and colourful designs known as the rangoli.
Both the lights and the decorated entrances welcome the goddess Lakshmi, who, according to Hindu mythology, is known to bring wealth and good luck.
Diwali, in fact, is celebrated to commemorate the birthday of Lakshmi. It is also said that she chose to get married on her birthday to Lord Vishnu, the god of preservation and the protector of the universe, according to Hindu scriptures. Therefore, there is a double celebration.
Another belief associates the Diwali festival with Lord Rama’s victory over the devil Ravana. It is said that after finishing him off when Rama returned to his home city of Ayodhaya, he was welcomed back by the people by lighting up his path with oil lamps.
Back to present times, the festivity also includes cooking of halwa or other sweetmeats at home or just buying them from any sweetmeat shop to distribute among friends and family.
But the other things associated with this festival such as the fire crackers, the rockets, etc., turn the temple premises into a battlefield with mines all around. It is not clear why they are so popular, but the naughty children are absolutely in love with them. They also like sparklers, which are quite harmless, but the other things are both noisy and scary.
Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani extended felicitations to the Pakistani Hindu community on the eve of the festival lights, popularly known as Diwali.
He said Hindu community has played an important role in the development and prosperity of Pakistan by promoting inter-faith harmony, respect and the spirit of mutual tolerance. He said all minorities have full religious freedom in Pakistan.
Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Leader of the House Muhammad Ishaq Dar, and Leader of the Opposition Dr Shahzad Waseem also congratulated the Hindu community on the occasion of Diwali.
Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf felicitated the Hindu Community of Pakistan on the eve of Diwali.
In his post on X today, he said minorities’ contribution in country’s development and progress is commendable. He said the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees rights of the minorities living in Pakistan.
The Speaker said every citizen is free to observe and practice his religious thoughts and customs irrespective of caste and creed.
