Group celebrates Diwali belatedly
Diwali was celebrated on Oct. 30, so why is the Houston Maharashtra Mandal holding a party in honor of this Indian holiday on Saturday? It’s simple, really. Many people who celebrate the Hindu holiday of lights do not leave their homes during the festivities. Hence the later date.
“People tend to not leave their homes during the evening because that’s when they welcome good energy into their homes,” said Ravi Ozarker, who serves as web administrator for the organization. “They say if you leave your home in the dark, it’s not good.”
Helping people with ties to India feel more at home in Houston is what Houston Maharashtra Mandal has been doing for decades.
When HMMwas started 40 years ago, it was just a small group of families with ties to India who wanted a way to connect in their new city.
Today the nonprofit organization hosts many cultural events for people who have resided in the State of Maharashtra in India and other places but now live in Houston. Its annual event celebrating Diwali also has grown larger, taking months to prepare and attracting hundreds.
“People look at us as a support system,” Ozarker said. “They’ll call us, where can I live here? Where can I find a good apartment complex?”
Or, how can they celebrate Diwali, a holiday commemorating when Lord Ramachandra, along with his wife and brother, returned back to their kingdom after a 14-year exile.
“When he returned, people were happy and they said we are going to light lamps,” Ozarker said. “What that symbolizes is the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair.”
When the HMMhosts its Diwali event at James E. Williams Elementary School in Katy Saturday, about 50 performers are expected to participate in the main stage show, which will include Bollywood dances and a magic show.
Attendees also can expect traditional Indian food and a display of traditional Indian dresses. The event will also commemorate the organization’s 40th anniversary.
The excitement builds before the official Diwali celebration begins, Ozarker explained. People clean their homes and decorate them with lights. Women also begin cooking traditional Indian sweets such as karanji, a sweet made up of crushed coconut and sugar. Women will draw colorful drawings using dry sand called “rangoli.”
The holiday is broken up into five days, with each day devoted to an aspect of celebration. With the cow and a calf as its official symbol, the first day honors motherhood. On the second day, people are asked to focus on good triumphing over evil. The third day focuses on wealth and prosperity.
The fourth day marks the start of the New Year and, on the final day, the Diwali celebration focuses on sibling relationships. Ozarker said often a sibling will visit their other sisters and brothers to mark the holiday.
As the organization has grown and changed over the years, Ozarker said there’s more demand for activities and events.
“People expect more,” Ozarker said. “People want to participate and a lot of people are saying, ‘why not do some social services?’ We want to help with a blood donation. We want to do a bone marrow drive.”
It’s a mindset that underscores that goal of building a community for people who have moved here from far away.
“When they come to Houston, they want to feel at home,” Ozarker said. “When they call us, we say you can attend our next event on this day. They attend the event and all of a sudden they find some common roots.”