Fellow citizens,

Today, we join our brothers and sisters in the Hindu community, across the country and around the world, in celebrating Divali, the festival of lights.

Divali is an occasion of great jubilation, especially for those who have devoted weeks to fasting, prayer and meticulous preparation. As families and communities gather today to break their fast, exchange gifts, and light deyas, they welcome Mother Lakshmi into their homes, which have been carefully cleaned and prepared in anticipation of Her arrival.

Divali invites us to embrace a beautiful duality: it is a period for both joyous celebration and sober reflection.

We celebrate joyously Lord Ram’s defeat of Ravan and the liberation of Mother Sita and in doing so, replicate the lighting of thousands of earthen lamps to welcome Lord Ram and Mother Sita home.

Even as we engage in joyful celebration, Divali also offers us an opportunity for sober introspection and for spiritual enlightenment. The principles embodied by Lord Ram and Mother Sita remind us, not only to persevere in our pursuit of self-improvement and enlightenment, but also of our duty to translate faith into action, and live righteously towards our loved ones, neighbours and fellow citizens. Lord Ram’s victory over Ravan is not only a powerful symbol of the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil, but is also a poignant demonstration of the power of love, courage, faith and devotion to overcome even the most formidable challenges.

As we celebrate and as we ponder in our hearts the festival of Divali this year, let us vow to embody and practice the principles of Divali, every day. As we prepare our homes for the blessings of Mother Lakshmi, let us also reflect on the contents of our hearts, that truth about our attitudes, and the impact of our actions. By doing so, and by making the necessary changes in each of these areas, we truly invite the spirit of Divali into our lives, and we truly aspire to the ultimate goal of choosing good over evil.

I extend to the Hindu community and all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago heartfelt wishes for an auspicious Divali celebration. May the joy and peace of Divali fill every home throughout the nation.