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Good Morning. Its Diwali time for Hindus – a festival gaining in popularity. In truth it’s a funny festival because it’s not one festival but a whole lot of different festivals celebrated on the same day. And when I say different – I mean very different.
Most of the festivals are theistic, but some are atheistic. Some are about wealth; some about war; some about justice; victory, some about God freeing slaves; some about binding God; some are about Gurus, and some about fun.

Every year I am asked to speak about Diwali to people who want me to explain it to them in terms they can understand. Usually I say that it’s a festival where light wins over darkness, and where good wins over evil – and that true as well. But I really want to explain Diwali in terms people can’t understand. Otherwise how will we learn something new? For instance, we can say the stories of Diwali are all myths, but I don’t meet celebrants who are looking for historical proof of any aspect of Diwali. Or whose enthusiasm is diminished by lack of focus on one Diwali story, on one idea of God, or even on one religion.

The beauty of the festival is in its lack of focus. We certainly won’t understand it if we try to fit it into our usual ways of understanding God, religion, or even festivals. Its beauty lies in its pluralism, the very fact that on one day we allow so many different religious traditions have their celebration without having to claim, that this is my festival day.

It’s not your festival or my festival, but it’s your festival and my festival. Thank you Lord for such festivals – the mothers of devotion. They help us see how diverse your creation is – so many people, so many cultures, so many religions, so many perspectives – all to be respected. Hare Krishna 300