Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, NOV 8 (NPN): Diwali, the festival of lights, was celebrated across Dimapur on Sunday with fervour, as homes, business establishments, and streets were illuminated with decorative lights and Diyas, while members of Hindu community gathered to mark the occasion.
Interacting with Nagaland Post, members of the Hindu community, expressed appreciation for the atmosphere of acceptance and peaceful coexistence in the State, particularly in Dimapur, where people from different religious backgrounds live and work alongside one another.
Dwelling on the celebration of the Diwali festival, one devotee informed that Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is widely regarded as festival of lights, which symbolizes triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.
He informed that for Hindus, it commemorates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and his victory over Ravana.
Beyond its religious significance, he added that Diwali also carries a broader message of hope, renewal, compassion, and triumph of goodness, asserting that lighting of diyas was symbol of dispelling darkness and spreading positivity.
Meanwhile, asked whether they faced any restrictions on the celebration, one member informed that in a state where Christians constitute the majority population, the observance of Diwali reflected the importance of respecting religious diversity and allowing every community the freedom to practise and celebrate its faith. He, however, expressed concern over reports of incidents of religious intolerance and restrictions affecting Christian communities in different parts of mainland India, and urged for religious festivals and traditions to be occasions for mutual respect and goodwill.
He also maintained that religious freedom should not be selective, stressing that every individual, irrespective of religious identity, should have the right to worship, observe festivals and follow their beliefs without fear or discrimination.
Others also observed that peaceful celebration of festivals in Nagaland, especially in Dimapur, demonstrated how people of different faiths could share the same social space without compromising their respective religious identities.