Beyond the lights: Decoding the celebration of Diwali and its role in medicine

As we approach the end of the year, the holiday season is in full swing. From Thanksgiving to Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa, this season brings a sense of culture, togetherness, and tradition. These holidays come with a shared spirit of celebration. Many take place during school breaks, when we enjoy a collective pause from everyday responsibilities.

Growing up as an Indian American, I often felt the holidays I celebrated existed outside this traditional holiday calendar. Observances deeply rooted in my Sikh Punjabi heritage, such as Bandi Chhor Divas and Vaisakhi, came with no such pause or recognition.

These holidays always came during a busy exam season, forcing me to make the following difficult decision yearly. Either I could fully embrace and celebrate a holiday that held deep religious and cultural significance, which would result in going to school exhausted and less prepared, or I could skip the celebration completely and miss out on an integral part of my cultural identity.

I spent much of my childhood wishing my culture’s holidays had the same recognition and representation as others. Luckily, I began to see that narrative change with the rise of social media and mainstream media embracing Diwali. For many Americans, Diwali is synonymous with elaborate Indian outfits, dazzling decorations, delicious foods and vibrant celebrations.

I am grateful to see America become more aware of Indian culture and traditions. However, this recognition sometimes comes with an assumption that every Indian celebrates Diwali, and that those who do celebrate it for the same reason and in the same manner. This generalization ignores the cultural, regional and religious diversity of Indian Americans.

One season, many celebrations

Expanding our knowledge on different cultures, traditions and holidays is a cornerstone for fostering cultural awareness and appreciation, which ultimately strengthens patients’ trust in medicine and allows for more inclusive, patient-centered care. Thus, I would like to share with the osteopathic medical community an introductory overview of some of the different celebrations observed by Indian Americans during this auspicious time of year.

• Diwali: Also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. In Hinduism, it’s the celebration of Lord Rama defeating Ravana, the king who abducted his wife, Sita, and returning to his kingdom of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile.
  
  This return is symbolized through the lighting of lamps. Other Hindu communities celebrate different stories or honor different deities, demonstrating that Diwali even in a single faith is not observed uniformly.

• Bandi Chhor Divas: Bandi Chhor Divas, also known as the Day of Liberation, is a holiday celebrated by individuals who practice Sikhism, the fifth largest religion in the world. This holiday commemorates the release of Guru Hargobind Singh Ji, the sixth Sikh Guru, who was imprisoned by the Mughal emperor, Jahangir.
  
  When offered release from imprisonment, Guru Hargobind Singh Ji did not leave alone. He ensured that the other 52 imprisoned rulers could leave with him. His actions symbolize the Sikh belief that liberation is not a selfish pursuit.
  
  It includes standing up against injustice others face and helping people in need. To celebrate, Sikhs will gather at a Gurudwara, the Sikh place of worship, listen to kirtan (devotional hymns), conduct seva (selfless service), and light candles. 

• Mahavira Nirvana or Jain Diwali: Jainism, one of the world’s oldest religions, emphasizes nonviolence, self-discipline and spiritual liberation. On Diwali, Jains honor the spiritual achievement of Lord Mahavira, the faith’s revered spiritual teacher, who attained final liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
  
  The observance honors his spiritual achievement and the continuation of his teachings. Jain communities mark the occasion through prayer, fasting, reflection, and lighting lamps. Although this observance shares the name Diwali with Hindu celebrations, its observance and significance is independent.

This year, Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas fall on Nov. 8, while Mahavira Nirvana is being observed on Nov. 9.

These examples illustrate the incredible heterogeneity among Indian Americans. Indian Americans speak different languages, follow various religions and come from distinct ethnic and regional backgrounds, each with their own cultural practices and traditions.

Strengthening medicine through cultural competency and cultural humility

The positive impact of cultural competence on patient-physician rapport is well-documented; as osteopathic physicians who are focused on treating the whole patient, we can ask questions that can foster inclusivity and build stronger patient-physician relationships. This includes attentive listening, understanding what matters to patients and connecting with personal stories from patients. These practices align with cultural humility and offer opportunities to help patients feel heard, respected and involved in their care.

Rather than assuming a patient’s cultural background based on their appearance or asking leading questions during patient interactions, physicians can foster inclusivity and build stronger patient-physician relationships through thoughtful, open-ended questions such as preferred language, dietary considerations, religious practices and personal preferences that may influence the care doctors provide to patients.

The expectation is not to memorize all the traditions and holidays in the world. Instead, the goal is to create an environment that fosters cultural competency and includes the patient in the conversation, rather than assuming a single label can tell an entire patient story.

Whether you are a medical student or a physician, being a lifelong learner is essential in the field of medicine. Our learning does not have to be limited to the latest screening guidelines or vaccination schedules. We can also expand our understanding and appreciation of the experiences integral to the identities of the patients we serve.

Just as Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas and Mahavira Nirvana reflect the diversity within Indian communities, each patient brings their own distinct cultural, ethnic and religious identities into the exam room. A whole-person approach to care means looking beyond shared nationalities or appearances and accurately recognizing and respecting the individuality of each patient.

Related reading:

The missing patient file: Kurdish health in the US

How NYITCOM’s Emigre Physicians Program saves the dreams of immigrant physicians