Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindhi Hindus across the province made preparations to celebrate the biggest Hindu festival of Diwali, also known as festival of lights, to be celebrated today.

The Sindh government announced a holiday on Thursday for the Hindu community. According to a notification issued by the provincial government, all Hindu employees of autonomous, semi-autonomous and local councils under the administrative control of Sindh would be given a holiday on October 19.

In 2016, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led Sindh government announced public holidays on Hindu festivals, which was followed by PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari celebrating Holi with local Hindus in Umerkot. But, this year, Sindh government has restricted the holiday to the Hindu employees only.

The three-day festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus around the globe, also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. It aims to celebrate new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

In the local temples of Karachi, special shops had been selling statues of Hindu gods, pooja items, clay lamps and other items used in pooja on Diwali. Some shops had been selling firecrackers as well, one of the most commonly used items to celebrate Diwali.

As the Hindus are a religious minority, special markets are rarely set up in major cities before Hindu festivals, as commonly seen on the occasion of Eid. For festivals like Diwali, shopkeepers usually set up makeshift shops, in and around local temples, to sell the special items.

Some of the Hindus had acquired special permission from Sindh Home Department and the Sindh police to sell firecrackers to celebrate Diwali. Hindus traditionally use firecrackers to celebrate Diwali.

Diwali is celebrated every year between mid-October to mid-November, in honour of the return of Hindu god Rama to his kingdom Ayodhya from exile of 14 years, after Rama defeated Ravana.

Pakistan Hindu Sabha (PHS), a representative organization of Hindus working for the betterment of Hindus, demanded the government to announce public holidays at least in Sindh, on the two most important festivals for Hindus, Holi and Diwali.

“Hindus are biggest minority community and two of our festivals, Holi and Diwali, are important religious festivals. Therefore, at least in Sindh, the government must announce public holidays on these festivals,” said the PHS President Govind Ram.

He also urged the government to ensure Hindu employees are paid their salaries in advance so they could celebrate Diwali with fervour and ease.

Published in Daily Times, October 19^th 2017.