Queens kicks off Diwali celebrations, with COVID rules in effect

The Sanasani Cultural Organization led by Akash Singh (center, top) performs for the crowd on Liberty Avenue and 130th Street. Eagle photos by Christina Santucci 

By Christina Santucci

The COVID pandemic means the build up to Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, has looked different in Richmond Hill than in years past, but residents are finding ways to celebrate as a community.

The Divya Jyoti Association usually holds a blocks-long motorcade, filled with dozens of decked out cars and 10,000 revelers partying along Liberty Avenue. This year, the city permitted the group to hold a two-hour ceremony with 40 attendees Saturday evening. 

“We have a very small audience, like I said, because of concerns and constraints, but it does not take away from the emotion and the euphoria of celebrating Diwali,” said Kishore Seunarine, a film director and even emcee.

Pandit Chunelall Narine of the Shri Trimurti Bhavan temple led one of the opening prayers and described the meaning of the holiday, which begins on November 14.

“We have a lot of reasons to be happy today, so let’s use our applause for that,” Narine said. “In this context, the festival would signify the triumph of good over evil, and what it tells us is that evil can not and never will prevail.”

“Good always triumphs over evil. Light always prevails over darkness,” Narine added. “Knowledge always prevails over ignorance.” 

After the prayer, organizers lit two ceremonial diyas, which symbolize the dispelling of darkness by light. 

Pandit Chunelall Narine (left) and members of the Divya Jyoti Association light one of the diyas.

Dancers from the Natraj Center of Performing Arts and The Sanasani Cultural Organization, led by Akash Singh, performed for the crowd of mask-wearing celebrants.

The event also attracted Councilmember Adrienne Adams who wore a Biden-Harris shirt underneath her jacket — another cause for celebration among Richmond Hill Democrats — and Assemblymember-elect Khaleel Anderson, fresh off becoming the youngest Black candidate elected to state office in New York history.

Lakshmee Singh of Divya Jyoti Association said residents have hung lights in several locations along Liberty Avenue, with support from the Queens Economic Development Corporation and the Christmas Lighting Corporation. 

The decorations feature a sign that spells out “Happy Diwali” on 133th Street, the start of so called “Little Guyana.” 

Singh said reminders of the 2019 events have appeared on her Facebook, highlighting the very different circumstances effecting this year’s celebration .

“I felt the disappointment in people when I would say no, and I felt like we had to do something,” Singh said.

“We are in a dark time and now you see this Happy Diwali sign. You really feel this light over darkness,” she added. “It was magic that happened.”