We Gujaratis used to greet each other in this manner on Bestu Varas, the Gujarati new year that occurs the day following Diwali. The last ten or so years have seen a very dramatic change in times. The tongue-twisting “Nutan Varsha Bhinadan” is quickly becoming the standard greeting, making the phrase “Saal Mubarak” less and less common. This has a lot to do with the polarisation that has existed in Gujarati society for a long time. A standard salutation like “Saal Mubarak” is now regarded as unfriendly.
Gujarati households spend weeks leading up to Diwali cleaning their homes. As they usher in the New Year, they purge themselves of unnecessary possessions from the house and the past.
The most well-known Gujarati of all time, Mahatma Gandhi, discussed Diwali in his sermon on November 12, 1947. In the midst of slaughter and three months after India’s Independence and division, he said: “Today is Diwali, and I wish you all a happy holiday. In the Hindu calendar, it is a wonderful day. The Vikram Samvat states that the New Year officially begins on October 27 (Gujarati New Year). You need to comprehend the significance of Diwali’s annual lighting celebration. Rama represented the forces of good in the epic battle with Ravana, while Ravana represented the forces of evil. After defeating Ravana, Rama created Ram Rajya in India. Yet alas! In India today, there is no Rama Rajya. How therefore can we observe Diwali? Only Rama-possessed people are permitted to rejoice in this victory.”
“Crowds of people flock to view artificial lighting, but what we need right now is the light of love within of us,” he continued. “The flame of love must be lit within us. Only then would we be deserving of praise. Numerous people are in grave hardship right now. Can each and every one of you put your palm on your heart and declare that every person who suffers, whether they are Hindu, Sikh, or Muslim, is a sibling or a sister to you? The test for you is this. As representations of the ongoing conflict between the forces of good and evil, Rama and Ravana are used. True illumination originates within. In order to bring about peace and goodwill throughout the nation, it is everyone’s responsibility to eradicate animosity and distrust from their hearts.”
The Mahatma was slain by Hindu fanatic Nathuram Godse on his way to his prayer gathering at Birla Bhavan in Delhi three months after giving this speech, on January 30, 1948.
Seven decades after his murder, Gandhi’s advice for India still rings true. Unfortunately, Gandhi and his principles are not wanted by the current administration. Unwanted items are therefore being cleaned out as part of the Gujarati tradition before Diwali. This week, the government’s takeover of Gandhi’s Gujarat Vidyapith is practically finished. As many as eight trustees, including chancellor Ela Bhatt, submitted their resignations this week in Ahmedabad, and they showed their displeasure by skipping the 68th convocation day. Too little, too late is the situation.
Another deplorable discovery regarding how quickly the ruling dispensation approved the release of Bilkis Bano’s “sanskari rapists” emerged this week. Following the release of 11 prisoners by the Gujarat government in August of this year, a few Muslim families from Bilkis Bano’s village of Randhikpur felt forced to leave. The rapists’ public reception and subsequent adornment following their release provided unmistakable proof of Gujarati society’s current polarisation.
Here, Gandhi interrupts us once more. Let’s revisit his November 1947 Diwali speech. “Diwali cannot be celebrated until you bring back all the Muslims who have fled in fear,” he had added. If Pakistan does not help the Hindus and Sikhs who have fled the country, it will also not exist. Happy New Year, which starts on October 27, to you and to the entire country of India (i.e. the Gujarati New Year). May God illuminate your souls so you might serve not just one another or India, but also the entire world.
News Mania Desk
