Diwali is a festival restricted not just to Hindus but every Indian irrespective of their socio-cultural or religious identity celebrate it.
It is reaffirmation of the philosophy of Tamso ma Jyotirgamaya, from darkness to light .
However, celebrating this festival has never been an easy affair. It has been marked by blood and sacrifices that characterised relentless struggles of people of this nation to celebrate Diwali under the invasive Islamic and Imperialist Raj.
Sikh martyr Bhai Mani Singh (circa 1662-1737 CE) was cut limb by limb, pieces to pieces and tortured for his “offense” of organising the Festival of Light. With the choice either to embrace Islam or death under torture, Bhai Mani Singh, with his being fixed in ‘Ek Onkar’ allowed the executioner to cut every inch of his body.
Several prominent Hindus at Chandani Chowk were hanged because they dared to celebrate Diwali during rule of Shah Jahan.
British despised it as heathen festival and put several restrictions on it especially for Indians living outside colonial India and indentured labour in South Africa, Caribbean's, and Indo-China etc.
But the struggle to celebrate Diwali to break through the darkness of imperialism persisted and won the day. Best Deepavali wishes. Vande Mataram!