Dear Diya...

 

Dear Diya 

There is no breeze and I like how your flame is nice and steady. There are bombs going off all over, made from fire too, and bombs which we don't hear killing children and adults in places where Diyas might not be lit.

It is just one of you this year again, part of the tradition as the soul of another relative moves on. 

I am glad the flame came up at the relevant point in the prayers.

Do those people who  throw squibs, and those who allow them to make noise also say prayers , preferring bombs and squibs in their worship to the quiet light you give?

There are a lot of diyas and lights being lit around the place without the prayers. It is like if there is a need to remove the sacred Hindu from you , make you secular , no puja and so, just food and decorations and lights.

Hearing how Presidents who aint Hindu lighting up diyas in their houses and so on, and in USA playing aarti and so. 

But dear Diya, scary how some of dem coolie people think that white man who don't like them is  their saviour as they don't want to vote for the lady name Kamala Devi.. .. is strange how this light thing works..

I started you off with some solid ghee which seemed to melt and burn off, then found the coconut oil which had been purchased to anoint the limbs of a patient who died a long time ago. 

The coconut oil takes longer to burn. The wick has to be adjusted. There is this tending to you, replenishing fuel, adjusting wick, enjoying light. 

Is there meaning in the nurturing of you, in learning of ways to adjust to the wind and breeze?

The answer now is plastic battery light, all over the place. 

Will they use them back for Christmas? Or next year Diwali and elections? Or will they be thrown away, creating toxic waste?

Shouldn't the Vedic thoughts about how connected we are to the earth should mean some restraint in not producing toxic waste in our worship?

If you have not cracked, I will wash you to use you next year.

And hoping that those reflections of the flame in the murti and the oil and so are sustained until then.

Yours

Diya lighter 

(Many thanks to the Writing in Community group )