Mumbai:
As the festival of lights draws near, preparations are on for radiant celebrations. Among the preparations for Deepavali this year is also a session to inform people from other countries about the meaning of the festival, and show them a glimpse of the rituals associated with it.
The India-Japanese Initiative organised a session on Thursday to familiarise Japanese women living in the city with the festival of Deepavali, celebrated to mark the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king of Lanka, Ravana. The Japanese women soaked in all they had to learn about the festival with great enthusiasm.
"The tradition and culture in India is so rich and vibrant. I was excited just to take part in this session. I learnt how to draw the rangoli, and I was told how to greet people on the occasion in my own language," said Hiromi Khaemizu, a housewife whose husband works in a corporate firm. She is also a member of the Sakuraki Japanese Women's Association.
"I knew very little about the history and culture of India. The presentations were designed to give us a great deal of information about the country. It's remarkable that Indians are so religious, and that each festival is celebrated with so much enthusiasm. It's very different in my country," said Khaemizu.
Reiko Ohashi, another Japanese expat who has found a home in Bangalore, said the programme was informative and enjoyable. "We learnt about the significance of Deepavali, the fact that it is celebrated across the country and signifies numerous things," she said.
The session on Deepavali was conducted with the aim of fostering a better understanding of India, so that the Japanese women in the city get a better understanding of the cultural environment of their adopted home. Pujas and rituals associated with Deepavali were demonstrated, and the women were taught to make and decorate diyas, so that they got a feel of the festival.
"Deepavali is among the most commonly celebrated festivals in this country, and the session opened our eyes to the quintessence of the festival. The significance of the festival was explained to the Japanese ladies. Such sessions serve as a catalyst to better the understanding of the local practices. All the ladies said that they were better able to appreciate the nuances of the festival after this session," said Geetanjali Kirloskar, chairperson of the India-Japan Initiative.