Indian community celebrates Diwali

For most of us, Christmas is still two months away but for one group of Belizeans this weekend will be filled with glad tidings, religious reverence and of course a big party with lots of food, drinks and dancing. News Five’s Janelle Chanona explains.

Rakhi Bhowjwani, Indian Community Spokesperson
?Diwali is a festival of lights and it is our Indian Christmas. So it?s a big deal for us. It?s one of the biggest festivals in India.?

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
This Sunday, the Belize?s Indian community is inviting the general public to join them in the annual Diwali celebration.

Rakhi Bhowjwani
?It?s an Indian Christmas like how yall celebrate your Christmas that?s how we want you to see how we do ours. And whether we are in India or any part of the world, we do celebrate it together.?

According to Rakhi Bhojwani, the festival is rooted in scared Indian beliefs.

Rakhi Bhowjwani
?We celebrate Diwali because Diwali is the return of our Lord Ram from exile. So he returned from exile on that that and that?s why we celebrate Diwali. It goes years ago and it has been a tradition so we just follow it.?

Janelle Chanona
?What?s some of the traditions … you talked about making sweets??

Rakhi Bhowjwani
?Yeah, we make sweets. We send it to each other, we light crackers and meet the family … pray.?

Janelle Chanona
?I know last weekend was the actual day…?

Rakhi Bhowjwani
?We can?t have the ball on the same day. We usually have a ball but we do not have it on the same day because we don?t eat meat or drink on that day because it?s very pure. We don?t touch liquor or anything. So we do celebrate it at the Princess or anywhere but on a different date.?

This year?s Diwali will take place at the Princess Hotel on Sunday. Tickets are on sale at Doony?s in Belize City for seventy-five dollars adults, fifty for children under ten.

Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.