THE Mitchell Park Trust is going back to its roots as they host Green Diwali at Durban’s iconic Mitchell Park from 11 to 13 October to celebrate the festival of lights in harmony with nature. The park will sparkle in lamps to light up the night and features displays to enlighten the community about the origins of the festival.
By opting to celebrate without fireworks that introduce noise and chemical pollution into the atmosphere, organisers and Durban North residents, Dr Sanil Singh and Anivesh Singh hope to channel the Hindu ethos of respect for nature. On Friday, 11 October the celebration will be opened when the lights are switched on at 7.30pm and the park will be open until 8.30pm. On Saturday, 12 October and Sunday, 13 October, it will be open from 11am until 9pm but its best to attend after 5pm to appreciate the lights after the sun has set. There will be vegetarian, mind, body and spirit stalls highlighting the philosophical aspects of the celebration.
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Dr Singh, who is the chairman of the Mitchell Park Trust said: “It is about going back to the roots. If you look at the origins of Diwali or Deepavali, one of the Hindu gods returned from exile on a dark night and all of his subjects lit up the way with lights. The inherent concept of fire works is Chinese, not Hindu. Lets go back to our roots and celebrate the way our ancestors did, with respect for nature, animals and others. This is one of the vows in a Hindu marriage ceremony is to respect nature.”
He hopes to uplift social perceptions toward the celebration of lights.
“Diwali is very negatively perceived by many who don’t know about the original concept,” he said.
“Green Diwali will serve as a platform for education about Diwali and a way to promote social cohesion,” he added.
By ‘going green’ Diwali will be celebrated without noise or air pollution at the event, said Singh.
“Animals become very topical, but the damage to humans and the environment is also a concern. The Indian government have even banned some of the more polluting fireworks,” he said.
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While the event is free for the community to attend, there is an option to sponsor a light in the park in memory of a pet or loved one at a cost of R100 per light. Exhibitors who comply with the ethos of Green Diwali are encouraged to call Anivesh Singh on 083 778 1991 or email ripple-effect@mweb.co.za.
For more information about the event, email Dr Sanil Singh on vet2care@yahoo.com.
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