May the festival of light end political uncertainty in NZ
It’s not for nothing that the concept of light has such a universal appeal all around the world.
The belief in the victory of light over the darkness is once again reiterated when Winston Peters told the media on Wednesday, 18 October 2017, that he will confirm on Thursday, October 19, the result of negotiations with National and Labour and who will be forming the next government.
On Thursday, October 19, the festival of lights – Diwali – which has captivated the imaginations of Aucklanders over the last weekend – will be celebrated officially all around the world.
There could hardly be a better way to describe this possibility of getting a new government after an almost month-long political uncertainty and extended deadlines than the victory of light over the darkness, political uncertainty being symptomatic of darkness in this case.
This may sound bit unacceptable to some of the non-conformists amongst us, purely for drawing analogies between the hard-headed politics of today’s modern New Zealand with some metaphysical beliefs rooted in an antiquated culture of the Orient.
To them it might be humbly reminded that this is what almost all political commentators have been doing since election night on September 23, drawing analogies from the past to predict the future behaviour of Winston Peters in terms of forming next coalition government.
This piece is relying on drawing an analogy with the festival of light, which is so heavily dominating the Kiwi-Indian mind and space as the community enters into the period of celebrating one of the biggest festivals of the Indian culture.
In any case, regardless of whosoever, Mr Peters chose to support, National or Labour-Greens to form the next government, at least one of them will be celebrating Diwali by lighting diyas and lamps – a traditional symbolic way of celebrating success, happiness and victory.
Who will get that chance tomorrow on the Diwali night, to light the lamps of victory, only time will tell (or maybe Winston Peters will tell).
However, this is all subject to Mr Peters choosing to stick to his deadline, which is always a big ask, given the fact that he is such a magic charmer like the legends of Pied Piper of Hamelin that the entire nation follows him, especially the media, almost at his will.
For uninitiated, The Pied Piper of Hamelin (also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat-Catcher of Hamelin) is the title character of a legend from the town of Hamelin, Lower Saxony, Germany.
The legend dates back to the Middle Ages, the earliest references describing a piper, dressed in multicoloured clothing, who was a rat-catcher hired by the town to lure rats away with his magic pipe.
When the citizens refuse to pay for this service, he retaliates by using his instrument's magical power on their children, leading them away as he had the rats.
This version of the story spread as folklore around the world to primarily emphasise a person’s absolute sway over the minds and brains of those following him.
Once again, to many others, this might appear a bit outrageous to represent Mr Peters as the Pied Piper of Hamelin, but regardless of their sensitivities, it is submitted that New Zealand public and the media have largely been sleepwalking ever since Mr Peters had got the balance of power in this election.
Hopefully, this will come to an end, and the nation will be forced out of their long slumber on Thursday, the Diwali night, and will come to know who will be forming the next government.
May the festival of light end the political uncertainty in NZ!
With this wish, The Indian Weekender team wishes you all a very happy and prosperous Diwali.
It’s not for nothing that the concept of light has such a universal appeal all around the world.
The belief in the victory of light over the darkness is once again reiterated when Winston Peters told the media on Wednesday, 18 October 2017, that he will confirm on Thursday, October 19, the result...
It’s not for nothing that the concept of light has such a universal appeal all around the world.
The belief in the victory of light over the darkness is once again reiterated when Winston Peters told the media on Wednesday, 18 October 2017, that he will confirm on Thursday, October 19, the result of negotiations with National and Labour and who will be forming the next government.
On Thursday, October 19, the festival of lights – Diwali – which has captivated the imaginations of Aucklanders over the last weekend – will be celebrated officially all around the world.
There could hardly be a better way to describe this possibility of getting a new government after an almost month-long political uncertainty and extended deadlines than the victory of light over the darkness, political uncertainty being symptomatic of darkness in this case.
This may sound bit unacceptable to some of the non-conformists amongst us, purely for drawing analogies between the hard-headed politics of today’s modern New Zealand with some metaphysical beliefs rooted in an antiquated culture of the Orient.
To them it might be humbly reminded that this is what almost all political commentators have been doing since election night on September 23, drawing analogies from the past to predict the future behaviour of Winston Peters in terms of forming next coalition government.
This piece is relying on drawing an analogy with the festival of light, which is so heavily dominating the Kiwi-Indian mind and space as the community enters into the period of celebrating one of the biggest festivals of the Indian culture.
In any case, regardless of whosoever, Mr Peters chose to support, National or Labour-Greens to form the next government, at least one of them will be celebrating Diwali by lighting diyas and lamps – a traditional symbolic way of celebrating success, happiness and victory.
Who will get that chance tomorrow on the Diwali night, to light the lamps of victory, only time will tell (or maybe Winston Peters will tell).
However, this is all subject to Mr Peters choosing to stick to his deadline, which is always a big ask, given the fact that he is such a magic charmer like the legends of Pied Piper of Hamelin that the entire nation follows him, especially the media, almost at his will.
For uninitiated, The Pied Piper of Hamelin (also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat-Catcher of Hamelin) is the title character of a legend from the town of Hamelin, Lower Saxony, Germany.
The legend dates back to the Middle Ages, the earliest references describing a piper, dressed in multicoloured clothing, who was a rat-catcher hired by the town to lure rats away with his magic pipe.
When the citizens refuse to pay for this service, he retaliates by using his instrument's magical power on their children, leading them away as he had the rats.
This version of the story spread as folklore around the world to primarily emphasise a person’s absolute sway over the minds and brains of those following him.
Once again, to many others, this might appear a bit outrageous to represent Mr Peters as the Pied Piper of Hamelin, but regardless of their sensitivities, it is submitted that New Zealand public and the media have largely been sleepwalking ever since Mr Peters had got the balance of power in this election.
Hopefully, this will come to an end, and the nation will be forced out of their long slumber on Thursday, the Diwali night, and will come to know who will be forming the next government.
May the festival of light end the political uncertainty in NZ!
With this wish, The Indian Weekender team wishes you all a very happy and prosperous Diwali.
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