Title: Embracing Festivities Abroad: Nostalgia and Adaptation
Published: Thu 2 Nov 2023, 6:51 PM Last updated: Thu 2 Nov 2023, 6:52 PM
In the search for poetic justice, there is a longing for virtues to be rewarded and vices to be punished. This universal concept extends beyond literature and drives our faith in fairness through the ages.
Throughout history, mankind has faced countless struggles and wars, but we have always come out on top. After every dark phase, light emerges, providing us with the courage to move forward and rediscover our joy. This spirit of resilience follows us, even in far-flung corners of the globe, as we celebrate festivals and adapt to changing circumstances.
For expats like Radhika Venugopal, who has lived in the UAE for 19 years, festivals hold even greater significance. Being away from home intensifies the desire to uphold traditions and recreate the joy of Diwali. Venugopal no longer seeks cheap flights to return home but instead makes Diwali a grand event with family and friends in her new home.
However, not everyone feels the same way. Relocation often leads to a certain disconnect from the true spirit of celebration, according to Uma Jaria, an astrologer and vastu expert based in Dubai. She believes that technological advancements have led to a lack of personal touch in festivities, with virtual exchanges replacing physical meetings and exchanges of sweets and gifts.
This trend becomes disconcerting, especially during troubled times when emotional connections are crucial. Expat festivities often evoke conflicting emotions, combining spontaneous mirth from celebrating with fellow compatriots and a longing for the connection and traditions of one’s home country.
Kavya Saravanan, who moved to the UAE at the age of nine, reminisces about the nonstop burst of crackers in her Indian neighborhood and large family gatherings during Diwali. While the festive spirit remains intact for expats, the substance of the celebration is often missing without the essential elements that make Diwali more than just a yearly ritual.
Saravanan’s father, a self-proclaimed “fire-cracker fan,” also laments the shift towards online purchases and the inability to burst crackers in the UAE. Despite following religious rituals, the scale and intensity of a full celebration are absent, leaving a feeling of longing for the home country.
However, millennials Priyanka and Gaurav Malhotra, expats for a decade, offer a different perspective. They believe that the absence of communal flourish can be compensated by recreating the celebration wherever they are in the world. Their optimistic outlook emphasizes involving non-Indian friends and attending public events and fireworks organized across the UAE during Diwali.
While it may be tempting to focus on the world’s problems and personal misfortunes, it is during these challenging times that we need reminders to stay rooted in our traditions. Our festivals serve as precedents for future generations, highlighting the importance of cultural awareness and passing down traditional values.
Parents like Saravanan emphasize the significance of being role models for their children and explaining the rationale behind these traditions. Cultural integration can be challenging, but as illustrated by Uma Jaria’s son, Pritish, embracing a neighborhood with a diverse community made it easier to follow their traditions and pass them on to the next generation.
Communities abroad become our support system, and our traditions provide templates for our immigrant lives. Festivals transcend geographical boundaries and serve as reminders of our cultural heritage. With a favorable environment, expats can continue to embrace and celebrate their traditions, ensuring that the spirit of festivals remains alive.
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