Living Goddesses at the Diwali Celebration in Queens

This annual celebration of the the Festival of Lights celebrated cultural heritage and an ancient religious practice of honoring the Goddess Lakshmi

Laurie Sue Brockway

I ran into some Living Goddesses on a research trip. I attended the annual Diwali Festival in the Richmond Hills area of Queens.

A local banker set up a photo booth where anyone could be photographed with the goddess on the throne. They gave me with photo to walk away with and texted it to me as well.

Diwali is the Festival of Lights in the Hindu tradition, and it is a celebration of the triumph of light over darkness. The Goddess Lakshmi, who is the Goddess of Fortune, is the star of this holiday.

This event was a sacred community function that was also fun and filled with joy and hope. It had prayers, pujas, devotional chants, songs, dance, and even a representation of women and kids of all ages costumed as the goddess Lakshmi.

Some represented her different eight aspects and names.

This beautiful Lakshmi represented the Embassy of Guyana booth. Her eyes were so filled with love and compassion. Her glance truly did feel like a blessing (thank you!).

The theme was “Let’s Light Up Liberty Avenue.” There were sponsored booths representing the community, from the Embassy of Guyana to a local banker.

It is tradition to have beautiful Living Goddesses representing Lakshmi, who is often seated or standing on a Lotus. They pose for photos, which is why I am sharing them here.

Beautiful Lakshmi stands and offers blessing of the goddesses traditional gold coins. She patiently kept her lotus aloft so I could take this photo. Lakshmi is always seen with four arms, two with lotuses.

Lakshmi is here in a white lotus and she is surrounded by sister goddesses Parvati (red), Kale (blue), and Saraswati (with instrument, her veena).

This beloved event is part of the cultural heritage and ancient religious history of the tight nit community of folks who brought these traditions from Guyana. It is a part of the fascinating public history in the borough, and mirrors traditions from around the world. From the aspect of folk practices, the ritual aspects of the event may be considered intangible cultural heritage, so it is moving to see how the community brings that heritage alive buy inviting members of the community to represent the goddess(es).

See this video from CBS news in New York.