By Anand Mathew

Varanasi, Nov 11, 2023: Christians and Muslims joined Hindus for an interreligious celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in the northern Indian city of Varanasi, Hinduism’s most sacred place.

“The lamp does not burn, but the wick does. Similarly, the external factors do not spread love, true love is unseen, and is ready to die for the other,” said Surendra Charan, a renowned Christian lawyer and co-founder of Kashi Qaumi Ekta Manch (United Forum of Communal Harmony in Kashi).

Kashi is another name of Varanasi and Diwali falls on November 12 this year.

The November 10 program at Hukulganj, a Varanasi slum where Muslims and Hindus live together was titled Chirag-e-Muhabbat (Lamp of Love) and it consisted of songs, drama and mushaira (poetry recitation) that conveyed the message of love, harmony and peaceful co-existence.

Taufiq Ansari, a peace activist working with Vishwa Jyoti Communications of the Indian Missionary Society, a Catholic congregation, said the best part of the program he liked was the lighting of earthen lamps in front of all the houses in the area.

“It was beautiful to see Hindus placing lighted lamps at the doors of the Muslims, and Muslims doing the same at the door of the Hindus. The beauty of it was that it was led by Christians,” he added.

The Christian institution took lead to organize the program in collaboration with civil society organizations such as Sajha Sanskriti Manch (United Forum for Composite Culture), Manav Rakt Foundation (a foundation promoting Blood Donation) and Kashi Qaumi Ekta Manch of Varanasi.

Junaid Kabir, a renowned poet, said that such programs of love and fraternal gathering will help in removing the present day darkness of hatred and exclusivism. He along with poets Azfar Banarasi, Shamim Ghazipuri and Iqbal recited poems of fraternity and harmony.

Sister Florine, a participant, said the program should be replicated in every colony of the city. The member of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary joined Sisters Abhaya and Bencita of the Missionary Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles to light lamps.

A short film titled “Aao Diya Bane” (Let us become lights) was screened before the lighting of the lamp. The film depicted a Hindu potter who makes and sells earthen lamps but could not sell anything before Diwali and the Muslims helped him by buying all his lamps and decorating their houses, and bringing joy to the potter’s house.

A play “Duniya Ka Mela” was performed by the artistes of Prerna Kala Manch, the theatrical wing of Vishwa Jyoti Communications. It showed a bond of love between Hindu and Muslim families woven around a cow.

Diwali sweets were distributed to all the people of the slum. People took pledge to maintain peace and harmony. The program ended with an interreligious prayer for peace in the war-torn Palestine.