DURBAN - THE lighting of fireworks during Diwali is not a religious right but a cultural choice that should not be forced on anyone.
That’s the view of Shamla Moodley, from Sukiyo Mahikari, who spoke at a dialogue held by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Commission) in Durban last week.
Moodley said fireworks were not recorded in Hindu scriptures.
“When you speak about religious rights at a platform like this, you have to go back to the scriptures and consider what is written down first. That should be our guide.
“Leadership should not be dictating based on a certain perspective. They should not be insisting that it is a religious right because it is not. It is a cultural choice that communities make.”
She said people started to use fireworks as a form of celebration.
She added that they needed to show Ahimsa – an Eastern philosophy that promotes respect for all living things and the avoidance of violence.
“If we are hurting our neighbours and animals, and causing disharmony, we have lost the true essence of Diwali, which is to bring in light and emerge out of the darkness.”
“I live next to a nature reserve which is quite peaceful. One day I heard one of these fireworks go off. It caused absolute mayhem in the air. There was an eagle way up high that became disorientated. It dropped altitude and swooped down. As a result all the birds went into a state of panic.”
Lalitha Govender, the secretary of the Devasthanam Foundation of South Africa, said she was against the use of fireworks, as it was a modern take on the celebration.
“Rather use music as a form of celebration,” she said. “In any case, fireworks are made in China. How is that an Indian tradition then? Furthermore, Hinduism teaches us that we should rather save than waste money.”
During the dialogue, Ashwin Trikamjee, the president of the SA Hindu Maha Sabha, said fireworks were an integral part of Diwali.
He said issues with the lighting of fireworks during Diwali showed a lack of tolerance based on a misunderstanding of culture.
Trikamjee added that pre-1994, fireworks were used but no one complained.
“It was only post-1994, when Indians started moving into traditionally white areas, that performances, tantrums, and letters to newspapers started.”
The Hindu community, he added, was attacked for being disrespectful and not observing the law.
Trikamjee said fireworks were used at sporting events, on Guy Fawkes and New Year’s days, and questioned why the complaints were not as intense as experienced during Diwali.
He said research showed that the sale of fireworks in South Africa between December 24 and December 31 was six times higher than during Diwali.
“When these things happen, we as Hindus start to think we are being discriminated against.”
However, he called for the regulation of fireworks and said there should be a designated time when fireworks could be lit.
Trikamjee said the Sabha also supported the banning of big bangs.
Cecil Govender, the vice-chair of the Devasthanam Foundation of South Africa, agreed with Trikamjee.
DA MP, Haniff Hoosen, who was responsible for securing the CRL Commission to facilitate the dialogue, said he wanted to protect the cultural and religious practices of the Indian community, and the commission had a constitutional responsibility to do so.
“The continued attacks on the Indian community, every year, around Diwali is simply not acceptable and needs to stop. The use of fireworks seems to ignite a lot of anger from some people, who use animal rights as an excuse to hurl abuse at the Indian community.
“It is not acceptable that some of us have to compete with their dogs to practise our culture. For these reasons, I called in the CRL Commission to intervene and protect the rights of the Indian/Hindu community.”
He said he had also requested that a dialogue which promoted tolerance and responsibility be held.
“Although people have a right to celebrate their religious and cultural festivals, they are equally obliged to do so in a responsible manner. The increasing calls to ban fireworks, by some insensitive people, must be defended with everything we have.”