– an eagerly anticipated event in New York
By Lakshmee Singh
Deepavali or Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, will be again celebrated in a very spectacular and jubilant manner in Queens New York on October 19th, 2019 starting at 5:30 PM sharp when thousands of celebrants will participate in this annual Diwali Motorcade/Parade event that will wind its way through Liberty Avenue, the heart of the Indo-Caribbean community of Richmond Hill, Queens. The Diwali Motorcade/Parade event has become over the years, a much anticipated cultural celebration during the fall season.
Customarily the motorcade/parade will conclude with a grand cultural extravaganza at 7:30 PM at the Arya Spiritual Center Ground on 133rd Street featuring a spectacular display of local young talents. There will be many impressive and extravagantly decorated floats, aglow with myriads of lights and colors, that glints on a sea of beaming faces invoking an atmosphere of exotic beauty and spiritual joy. Exquisitely attired young beauties will grace the floats with their presence as Mother Lakshmi as they mesmerize the crowd with their angelic dispositions. The dream of five women who were the original founders of the event -Dolly Singh, Daveena Ramgolam, Lolita Singh, Kumarie Dindiyal and Sachee Beer – will continue to reverberate a very dramatic and sensational manner.
Presented by the Divya Jyoti Association in collaboration with the Arya Spiritual Center, the celebration will kick-off at 5:30 PM from the Arya Spiritual Center grounds at 104-20 133rd St with the Diwali Motorcade/Parade and veer left on Liberty passing the Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir to 123rd Street, then turn right to 103 Avenue, and then finally return to Arya Spiritual Grounds on 133 Street where the floats will be judged. The floats in the motorcade will be judged on a predetermined set of criteria related to creativity, originality and attractiveness. Prior to the grand Diwali Motorcade at 3pm hundreds will gather to participate in a sacred Lakshmi Puja and Hawan officiated by Pandit Vyaas Sukul.
The festival of lights is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and others in South Asia. The five-day festival is centered on the new moon and is observed by lighting diyas — simple oil lamps — to signify the victory of good over evil in the individual. Diwali celebrations span a five-day period, each day being assigned a special significance as ordained by Hindu doctrine. The first day of Diwali, known as “Dhan-trayodashi,” is a day during which one gives thanks for all spiritual and material wealth in one’s life.
Richmond Hill resident Meera Singh said the annual Diwali event always reminds her of her native Trinidad, where she was born, raised and spent many years celebrating this festival of lights.
“I grew up into the religion,” said Singh, who spent the holiday in Richmond Hill for the first time. “In Trinidad at this time of year, we have a big celebration for the festival of lights, and I wanted to see if it was as big here as it is there.”
“Every year people come out and decorate in honor of the Goddess Lakshmi. We only have two major holidays in the Hindu religion. We’re looking to make Diwali a major community event, and it has been growing. We’re very excited about it,” said Lakshmee Singh, one of the members of Divya Jyoti Association.
