Inter Religious Prayer Service on Diwali

- M. S. Arockaiasamy SJ

Kolkata: An Inter-Religious prayer service on Diwali was organized by the Inter Religious Dialogue and Ecumenical Commission of the Kolkata Archdiocese on 18th October at Xavier’s College. Originally it was planned to take place in front of the iconic Francis Xavier’s statue of the college but due to a light shower prior to the service, it was held in front of the Statue of Our Lady. Fr. Timir Singha S J, the convener of commissions set the ba ll rolling with his sacerdotal blessing and with the reading from Vatican II document which underlined the importance of recognizing the seed of the truth in the other religious traditions.

Thereafter after hymns pertaining to the meaningfulness of light by the Prabhu Jisu Girjia choir filled the audience with the sense of reverence. Representatives from Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and Christianity read from their respective scriptures the meaningfulness of light and the presence of the divine in the form of light. Earlier Mr. Dipankar Basu inspired the congregation with his insight on the meaningfulness of celebrating Diwali, an occasion when the humanity makes a comprehensive offering of oneself to the divine. 

Bishop Linus Gomes and other representatives lit the ceremonial lamb symbolizing the Divine Light and paid homage on behalf of the congregation. The ceremonial lamb emanated the true spirit of Diwali Light upon the congregation consisted of Priests, Religious leaders and laity.

Bro. Chintamani Das sj, a coorganizer, led the congregation in to the contemplation of introspecting oneself to figure out the evil forces operative in oneself and uprooting them by imbibing the spirit of purity and goodness. The choir group sang intercessory prayers beseeching the Almighty to bestow upon the entire humanity the blessings of divine goodness to counter the evil forces operative in the universe.

Miss. Disha Patra enacted in a dance form the ceremonial worship of the Eternal Light to the tune of the Rabindra Sangeet ‘Alo Amar Alo...’. Then the congregation was invited to light hundred twenty Diyas placed around the ceremonial lamp. They then placed the diyas in the college premises wherever was the shade of darkness to make the Divine Light to envelop the universe. Fr. Probal Gomes SJ made the service joyful and sweet by serving the congregation with the traditional Diwali Ladoos.