This week starts Diwali celebrations for many Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and other faiths. Diwali means different things to different cultures, but ultimately, each story and legend generally believes it’s when light overcomes darkness and good triumphs over evil.
I’m Gujarati Hindu, so the story I grew up with was about Rama and his wife, Sita. They were exiled to the forest (with Rama’s brother Lakshmana) for 14 years, and it was there that an evil demon, Ravana, took Sita. With the help of Hanuman (the monkey god), they find Sita in Lanka, and Rama manages to defeat Ravana with a magic arrow. To help them find their way home, the villagers lit lamps and candles so they could see their path home. This is why Diwali is known as the festival of lights for some Hindus.
Many Gujaratis will spend the next week cooking good food, cleaning their homes and leaving lights/candles lit so they can welcome goodness into their lives.
If you have colleagues celebrating this festival, wish them a prosperous and happy Diwali. For inclusive practice, ask if they’d like to finish early or take annual leave to spend time with family/friends and if they need any flexibility over the festive period.
There was one incredible manager (and now a good friend), Anna Russell, who made sure Diwali was recognised in our office when I worked in-house. I can’t even begin to tell you how much this gesture meant to me and how included I felt – more leaders need to be #MoreLikeAnna. Micro-actions lead to macro-impact.
On a final note. With all the tragedies we’ve all witnessed over recent weeks, this Diwali, my thoughts will be with those suffering greatly, thanks to the actions and decisions of others. Whatever you believe, one thing is for sure – light will eventually overcome darkness.
Stay safe and take care of one another.
