This year Diwali, the festival of light, will be celebrated on 31st October 2024.
On this occasion I appeal on behalf of Ibaadatkhana, a global organization promoting interfaith harmony, of which I am the patron, to all non-Hindus worldwide to celebrate Diwali.
https://indicanews.com/the-historical-importance-of-the…
https://indicanews.com/ibaadatkhana-function-and-unity…
https://indicanews.com/ibaadatkhana-to-celebrate-holi…
I may mention that for the last 25-30 years I have been keeping one-day roza during the holy month of Ramzan or Ramadan (usually on the last Friday). I am an atheist, but I respect all religions, and strongly support freedom of religion and interfaith religious amity. I keep a day’s roza during Ramadan as a symbol of respect for my Muslim brothers and sisters, and each year I appeal to non-Muslims worldwide to do the same. Similarly I appeal to non Hindus to keep one day fast on Navratri.
At one time, Hindus would participate in Eid and Muharram, and Muslims would celebrate Holi and Diwali. Even Mughal Emperors such as Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan, and the later Mughals up to Bahadur Shah Zafar, as well as the Nawabs of many kingdoms in India like Avadh and Murshidabad would celebrate Holi and Diwali.
Diwali was also known as Jashn-e-Chiraghaan, and celebrated by Muslim rulers with great enthusiasm. Some paintings of Muslim rulers and their wives celebrating Diwali are given below
After the Great Mutiny of 1857 the British rulers started the nefarious practice of divide and rule, and sowed the venom of communal hatred, because of which this practice largely stopped.
It is time to revive and renew the amiable custom of celebrating festivals of all religions together. I am confident non-Hindus everywhere will pay heed to this appeal on behalf of Ibaadatkhana, and celebrate Diwali on 31st October this year.
How to celebrate Diwali is up to you. One way is to light and place a ‘diya’ (an earthen lamp) in front of your house (if that is not available, some other kind of lighting), and greeting your Hindu friends with some sweets.
I particularly appeal to Muslims and Christians in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh to celebrate Diwali by at least lighting one lamp ( diya ) and placing it outside the door of your house. A pic may be sent to me on justicekatju@gmail.com with your name, location and other details, which I will post on my fb page, if you permit.
Upto 1857 there was no communal problem in India, and Hindus and Muslims used to live like brothers and sisters. They would participate in each others festivals, Muslims participating in Holi and Diwali, and Hindus participating in Eid and Muharram. Muslim rulers like the Mughals ( Aurangzeb was an exception ), the Nawabs of Avadh and Murshidabad, etc used to participate in Holi and Diwali, organise Ramlilas, etc ( as can be seen in numerous paintings of that era )
In 1857 the Great Mutiny broke out, in which Hindus and Muslims jointly fought against the British. After suppressing the Mutiny, the British decided that the only way to control and rule India was divide and rule, i.e. make Hindus and Muslims fight each other.
Letters came from the Secretary of State for India in London to the British Viceroy in India for this purpose, whose details are given below :
https://www.facebook.com/…/history-in…/860617493978798
All communal riots began after 1857. Details about how this policy of divide and rule was implemented are given in these articles, so I am not repeating them :
https://www.nation.com.pk/02-Mar…/the-truth-about-pakistan
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/…/the-truth-about…
http://justicekatju.blogspot.com/…/our-history-books…
The communal venom was injected into our society year after year and decade after decade, first by the British, and after 1947 by the political party which benefited from inflaming communal tension and hatred.
When a poison enters our body, doctors give antidotes to neutralize its effects. Lighting a lamp on Diwali by all communities is one of such antidotes against the communal poison. No doubt it is only a small one, and many more antidotes will have to be given to totally eliminate the venom, but it is a step in the right direction. We must all unite, and give a strong rebuff to communal elements, and this is one way to do it
