Society/Culture Should Diwali, the Indian cultural festival, be made a public holiday across Australia?

[Cmarsh]

Calls for Diwali to be made a public holiday across Australia

Australia's Indian community is renewing calls for the Hindu festival of Diwali to be recognised as a publ...

www.9news.com.au

I guess the question is has it made enough of an impact in Australia's cultural landscape to be considered for a public holiday? Would it be accepted as such?

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Cool want a medal? Or a chest to pin it on?

Yes, perhaps you could find one for me? It's not like you're doing anything better with your time, seeing as you're replying to comments that are two months old.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

I keep trying to get "festivus" celebrated at my work....

no luck so far

Do you erect the aluminium pole before the Airing of Grievances and finish with the Feats of Strength or do you stick the pole in between?

 

[Trouto]

Do you erect the aluminium pole before the Airing of Grievances and finish with the Feats of Strength or do you stick the pole in between?

i have tried to get people to donate to the 'Human Fund' no luck though

 

[demondavey]

So my workplace is celebrating Diwali today. However, we don't celebrate any other religious holidays - no Ramadan, Hanukkah, Easter celebrations, etc

We don't even have a Christmas celebration (which for a large number of people like me is a secular celebration anyway) - we have an End of Year celebration.

If people want to celebrate Diwali go ahead, more luck to you. Have a great time.

But I'm not Hindu, I'm not a huge fan of religion full stop (there are some really disturbing elements of Hindu if you follow what goes on in India)and I think Diwali is an environmental headache for the people of India

Three Indian cities among world’s 10 most polluted after Diwali festival

New Delhi, as usual, takes top spot while Mumbai comes sixth with an AQI of 157, followed by Kolkata with an AQI of 154.

www.aljazeera.com

I dunno, I'm probably being an a-hole here but it does give me the irits that I'm expected to participate in a religious celebration. For the record, I'm not attending the celebration but I reckon I shouldn't have been asked to in the first place. Bugger, cos I love Indian food so joke is on me.

You’re not attending or didn’t attend.

So you don’t have to celebrate it.

What was your point?

 

[Rusty Brookes]

You’re not attending or didn’t attend.

So you don’t have to celebrate it.

What was your point?

My point I was expected to celebrate it - I didn't see you at the morning tea type comments came my way.

It seems now management have decided every morning tea has to be a theme - next one is Chinese Lunar Year which I'm fine with given it's not religious. My point is no one should be pressured to celebrate any religion at their workplace and it seemed a little bit double standard, in that we no longer have a Christmas celebration - we have an End of Year celebration (which I'm totally OK with BTW).

If I was from an Indian background and my family had suffered due to the rise of Hindu Nationalism, I reckon I'd be pretty p*ssed off about being asked to celebrate a Hindu holiday.

Vulnerabilities of Religious Minorities in India: Unmasking the Impact of Rising Hindu Nationalism - Australian Institute of International Affairs

India is famous for its cultural diversity and known as the largest democracy to the world. The ascendancy of Hindu nationalism under the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) threatens this diversity and the religious minorities within its territorial boundaries.

www.internationalaffairs.org.au

 

[ferball]

Rusty - Hinduism and Hindutva are not the same thing tho as much as adherents of Hindutva would like you to believe otherwise.

There are elements of Hinduism that saw things like pacifism, vegetarianism (cos killing is not something they want to do) and atheism develop (yes some Hindu sects are athiest and don't believe in any gods including Hindu ones.) Its not all indian fascism/nazism.

Diwali is celebrated by non Hindus - Jains, Sikhs and some schools of Indian Buddhism as well - so its not an exclusive thing and different variants of Hinduism celebrate different dieties during Diwali. There are even Muslim celebrations of Diwali in some parts of India and Pakistan.

One thing that might stop religious conflict is if everyone from different religions celebrated as many other religious holidays and festivals as they could. it might make the world a more peaceful and happier place.

 

[Captivating]

um, no.

 

[Cmarsh]

um, no.

Is it that simple though?

Most of our public holidays are representative of the dominant Western culture. This would be a step towards recognsing different cultures that comprise modern Australia.

 

[burge13]

Im all for extra days off but in practice, no

We need to do better at allowing all cultures use public holiday days to suit their needs rather than create more public holidays. Would be way too hard on small business

Also, if you go to a country, they have their public holidays/cultural days. If you don't like that...

 

[deck]

Most of our public holidays are representative of the dominant Western culture. This would be a step towards recognsing different cultures that comprise modern Australia.

One way to really rub it in to the Indigenous of this land.

 

[Cmarsh]

One way to really rub it in to the Indigenous of this land.

Ive have thought there should also be an Indigenous PH. Not sure what would be most appropriate though.

 

[Captivating]

Is it that simple though?

Most of our public holidays are representative of the dominant Western culture. This would be a step towards recognsing different cultures that comprise modern Australia.

Maybe you allow staff to have 10 paid public holidays a year that they can chose. Any others they take become unpaid leave days.

This eliminates public holiday loading which is good for businesses.

Businesses can be open 365 days a year.

 

[Gethelred]

It's a bit funny to me when someone's first consideration here is "What does it do for small business?" as though Indian Australians don't use or run small businesses.

The Australian attitude, once upon a time at least, would've be "More public holidays? Yes please!" Shows you the degree to which Howard and Keating changed things.

 

[bmaurizio]

Eventually as the Indian culture impacts our sociopolitical environment and world it will become a consideration, likewise for the Chinese segment of the population.
Both have massive populations, expanding large economies, which will dominate eventually.
Looking forward in the the next 30 years, they’ll begin to dominate the international arena. Australia will have to take note, no choice really.

 

[Fire]

Its unaustralian to turn down a public holiday FFS.

 

[Fire]

I wouldn't expect Jewish people to have to celebrate an Islamic holiday nor would I expect Muslims to celebrate a Jewish holiday

'have to celebrate'?
'have'?

No one has to celebrate shit. Just observe a public holiday.

 

[schneebly111]

I like Singapore’s example of having a public holiday for most major ethnic/faith groups,

Easter, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Vesak (Buddhism), Deepavali (Hinduism), Hayi Raya (Islam).

 

[Seeds]

We should have less public holidays not more. But give people more annual leave in its place.

People should be free to choose how they take their leave. Not for it to be forced upon them through public holidays. Especially relgious ones they have no care for.

 

[Seeds]

I like Singapore’s example of having a public holiday for most major ethnic/faith groups,

Easter, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Vesak (Buddhism), Deepavali (Hinduism), Hayi Raya (Islam).

And my singapore colleagues constantly complain how its unfair that i get much more annual leave then them.

 

[kaiserchief13]

If they are going to make Diwali a holiday then what about all other festivals around the world? They should allow people to pick what's important to them and they take that day off e.g. I follow NFL so superbowl Monday should be off as that's an "NFL festival"

 

[Gethelred]

If they are going to make Diwali a holiday then what about all other festivals around the world? They should allow people to pick what's important to them and they take that day off e.g. I follow NFL so superbowl Monday should be off as that's an "NFL festival"

I'm for public holidays, so why not?

 

[aCunningPlan]

It's a bit funny to me when someone's first consideration here is "What does it do for small business?" as though Indian Australians don't use or run small businesses.

The Australian attitude, once upon a time at least, would've be "More public holidays? Yes please!" Shows you the degree to which Howard and Keating changed things.

Totally agree, Australians used to care about spending time with their families and building community. Public holidays are a net positive for social cohesion.

 

[jarrod_island_doggies]

I like Singapore’s example of having a public holiday for most major ethnic/faith groups,

Easter, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Vesak (Buddhism), Deepavali (Hinduism), Hayi Raya (Islam).

Something very similar to this also happens in part of Australia that was once part of Singapore...

Check out Christmas Island's public hols

(I worked there for a while and loved it)

 

[Johnny Bananas]

It's a bit funny to me when someone's first consideration here is "What does it do for small business?" as though Indian Australians don't use or run small businesses.

The Australian attitude, once upon a time at least, would've be "More public holidays? Yes please!" Shows you the degree to which Howard and Keating changed things.

Rhetoric against Indians has become much more common in the West, sometimes hiding under the banner of wokeness or secularism. Probably more common in North America, but their culture influences ours too.