Opinion Express View: A Diwali we need
The festival is a reminder of the joys of community and camaraderie in anxious times
The last few years have been marked by events that have stoked anxieties and uncertainties on a global scale. The world has grappled with an unprecedented pandemic. Global poverty increased for the first time in a generation. 
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At the mention of Diwali, some images instantly spring to mind. Lights, sweets, dry fruit, distant relatives and close friends who come bearing gifts. The festival has a unique and yet shared meaning for every one.
It is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil, it is an opportunity to pause and reflect, an occasion to give generously, and a reason to revisit the idea of community.
The last few years have been marked by events that have stoked anxieties and uncertainties on a global scale. The world has grappled with an unprecedented pandemic. Global poverty increased for the first time in a generation. The Russia-Ukraine war seems set to reach its two-year mark in a few months. The ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict has claimed over 11,000 lives in just a month. This festive season, then, is more welcome than others. Pictures and stories of twinkling lights, long-awaited reunions and moments of reaching out are much needed. So also, even, the long line of WhatsApp forwards about the meaning of Diwali, ending in pretty lines of diya emojis — alongside AQI warnings and precautionary measures to deal with the pollution in the grey air.
This season, then, let the values of Diwali matter more, not less. Community, which is at the centre of grief, is also at the centre of festivities. So, here’s wishing you a happy Diwali, even as you might worry about the world, or your place in it. Light is here, the darkness can wait.
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