Harmony in Diversity - Celebrating Life through Festivals

While walking through snow covered trees in Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, Sri Sri turned to the people around him and told them: “Be a fountain of love.” The year was 1996. Sri Sri’s message for Christmas that year was rapidly sent to thousands of people worldwide, who eagerly await it.

This tradition began in 1982 with the birth of the Art of Living. For every festival each year, Sri Sri offers a special message for the day, which encapsulates a philosophy for life. For over 27 years, his emphasis has been consistent: love and compassion.

Sri Sri often says, “The Art of Living is committed to making life a celebration.” Through his programmes, service initiatives and profound wisdom, Sri Sri continues to make this vision a reality. His simple words drive a powerful message of self-transformation and individual empowerment.

In 1997, Sri Sri was in Rishikesh, India, during the Hindu festival of Diwali. On the banks of the Ganges, amidst traditional lamps, Sri Sri led a large crowd through meditation. He then explained the significance of each of the features of Diwali.

The four aspects of Diwali are:

• Lights – symbolising the spreading of Knowledge
• “Firecrackers –When the explosion happens outside, the explosion inside is diffused.
• “Gifts and sweets – Sharing gifts and distributing sweets dispels bitterness and renews friendships.
• “Abundance – Feeling a sense of abundance brings awareness and gratefulness for what one has.

Interestingly, the joyful ambience synonymous with each festival, is created wherever Sri Sri travels. In 1997, Sri Sri was at the Art of Living International Centre a few days before Christmas. Groups of children sang Christmas carols and enacted the story of Christ. About 2,500 people gathered wearing Santa caps and holding lighted candles to celebrate the Christmas spirit of caring and sharing. Sri Sri was then scheduled to reach Chennai, a city in South India where a choir of 70 school children welcomed him with carols. He reached Germany on Christmas day, where celebrations continued. “You are the Christmas tree that points upwards with branches on all sides. At the time of the year, when other trees are barren, you are green with many gifts to offer. Life, too, is like a Christmas tree, full of gifts and evergreen.”
Often, Sri Sri weaves social concerns with his philosophy and urges people to serve society. After speaking on Shivratri, (a celebration honouring Shiva, the Hindu god who embodies the rare combination of innocence and wisdom. Shiva is also the God who is responsible for all the transformation taking place in creation from old to new), in Gujarat, India in March 2007, Sri Sri told the gathering, “The progress of a society lies in the progress of an individual. The one, whose heart is filled with love and compassion, can only help others.” Emphasising social service, Sri Sri said: “Seva (service to society) and Sadhana (spiritual practices) are complementary to each other.

“When we can enjoy sweets from all parts of the world and listen to music from different countries, why can’t we accept wisdom from every place too?” This is a question that Sri Sri poses quite often to his audience in his effort to globalise wisdom and bring about a unity of faiths and a universal identity by sharing what is for the common good of all.
Guru Purnima is one such celebration which venerates wisdom by honouring the tradition of Masters who have guided humanity with their deep wisdom based on the need of the time. “When the drop of water feels connected to the ocean, it feels the strength of the ocean. When we feel connected to our ancient masters, we feel their strength too.”

It is a beautiful sight to see people of various faiths coming together to celebrate in the true spirit of unity. That Sri Sri has been able to make people to see what is common among the faiths, rather than focus on the differences is visible in every festival celebrated in His presence. The Navaratri celebrations in 2008 in the international headquarters of the Art of Living in Bangalore, India, saw people from 51 different nationalities come together to celebrate. In 2006 and 2007 Mufti Samoon Qasmi from Barailey, India , also the vice-president of All India Imams' Organisation, graced the occasion along with many other saints from various parts of India. “The message of unity is so strong here that I have been coming for the last two years despite Navratri falling on the Islamic fasting month of Ramazan,” he told the gathering last year".

Through his universal philosophy of love for all people, compassion and service for humanity, Sri Sri binds people of different backgrounds in one thread. Be it celebrating the Chinese New Year with people from mainland China at the Art of Living International Centre in India or lighting lamps for Diwali in Montreal.

Sri Sri is truly showing people how to make life a celebration, every single day.