Expats ‘light up’ Oman during Diwali celebrations

Muscat: South Asian expats in Oman celebrated Diwali with much joy as they welcomed the festival of lights into their home.

Traditionally celebrated 20 days after the Indian festival of Dusherra, Diwali is a festival that signifies the defeat of evil by the forces of good, and the arrival of the traditional Indian winter harvest. People celebrate this festival by lighting earthen lamps and distributing sweets.

“This year, we got together with some local friends to celebrate Diwali,” said Ashish Kumar Mallick. “We decided to go together to some place where people celebrate Diwali and organised a Diwali party. We also went to a nearby temple and offered prayers there.”

Ashish — who hails from Bangladesh — added, “As an adult, I don’t get many opportunities to celebrate, because I have been away from home for various purposes such as study or work. I think the celebrations were better when I was a child. As an adult, if there is an opportunity to meet during Diwali, or if there is a public holiday at that time, then we meet up and celebrate.

“Now that my wife is here, these celebrations have changed a little. I’ve only celebrated Diwali on one occasion after marriage. When I was single, I didn’t know how to perform the proper rituals on my own, but now that my wife is here, we planned to do something,” he added.

Vikram Gokhale, an Indian national who hails from Maharashtra, said Diwali was a time to take stock of one’s life and spending time taking care of the people who are closest to them. “A big part of our Diwali celebration is called Bhau Bij, which is a traditional Marathi celebration that symbolises the protective bond a brother has for a sister,” he said.

“On this day, the brother often gifts the sister something as a token of his protection. The entire reason behind Diwali is not really a festival, but a time for festivity. It does call for celebration, but it should also be an occasion where one takes stock of what one’s activities over the past year and what one plans on doing next. It is not just a time to party but a time for understanding that next year will have its own challenges, so have faith in your beliefs and plan for next year to be better than this year,” he added.

Lakshman Iyer, a South Indian expat, added, “We really miss our family back in India during this time of the year, because Diwali is a time to celebrate with those who are close to you. We are planning to fly out to meet them for the National Day holidays, and then we will have a great time with everyone.”