Purifying the Heart of Man....
"The Festival of Lights," symbolises the victory of good over evil, and Dayas are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind. Here on the small Caribbean island of Trinidad, a family and scores of people from a community join in and celebrate Divali.
An bamboo frame constructed as a Boat.
On a short stretch off Ethel and Finland streets, St. James, Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Beem Singh watches his family prepare for the festival of lights. For seven years his family has celebrated Divali on the streets outside his home, and with his community. This year his sons have built an array of sculptural objects made from Bamboo ribs, and the lamps are secured by wire loops that work as holders.
A Bandwagon mounted with Dayas secured by simple wire loops to beautify the object.
Wicks are soaked with oil just before they are inserted into the Dayas.
One in particular is a play on a local political theme, and an elaborate bamboo frame is constructed to resemble the State owned surveillance Blimp, commonly called “Eye in the Sky.” This piece Mr. Singh says, took twelve days to build with special add-ons such as Christmas decorative lights and a red siren. There are other fancy objects like a Bandwagon, Boat and Canon, all completed in less than three days, and all set with lamps filled with coconut oil and wicks that has been soaked with oil.
The head of the family is shown at the centre praying to the Deity goddess Lakshmi.
Mr. Singh had constructed a shrine for the occasion, and it was the Hindu goddess Lakshmi carved from styrofoam and decorated more towards the side of a Carnival costume piece, yet it had a sacred presence.
The State Blimp, commonly called the “Eye in the Sky," St. James, Trinidad and Tobago.
And as people congregated and filled Ethel street, they began to lit the Dayas in a co-operative and methodical way. Mr. Singh's home was opened, and he catered to serve two hundred people where for a brief moment, all creeds would sit together and share a vegetarian meal, thus experiencing his light within.....Divali See last years Divali post
A young girl lighing the lamps, St. James Trinidad
1 comment:
This posting is the kind of thing I like to read. It has just enough atmosphere and interest to grab the mind. Thank you.
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