As the festival of Deepawali approaches, a wave of wokeism and cultural Marxism is sweeping across educational institutions and social media platforms in Bharat. Numerous universities and colleges have recently organised pre-Deepawali events, sparking controversy over what some describe as the “Urdufication” of the traditional Hindu festivals in the name of wokeism.
Social media users and public figures have highlighted this trend, questioning if it is an attempt to detach the celebration from its Hindu roots. These discussions echo sentiments previously raised by Dr Mohan Bhagwat, Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who in his Vijayadashmi address voiced concerns about “Wokeism” and “Cultural Marxism” eroding Bharat’s cultural integrity.
In an incident that drew widespread attention, IIT Kanpur, on October 27, shared a post promoting its upcoming Deepawali event, scheduled for October 29, under the title “Jashan-e-Roshni,” organised by institution’s International Relations Wing.
This move sparked criticism, with a prominent social media handle, Eminent Woke on X, declaring, “Dear IITs of India, just don’t celebrate any Hindu festivals…But if you MUST do it, don’t change the names of our festivals to ones suggested by some ganja-smoking sexual pervert from humanities. What was the dying compulsion to change Diwali to Jashn-e-Roshni? Are you taunting Hindus of Bharat?”
Dear IITs of India, just don’t celebrate any Hindu festivals. Nobody is forcing you to, nobody is asking you to, nobody wants you to. But if you MUST do it, don’t change the names of our festivals to ones suggested by some ganja smoking sexual pervert from humanities.… pic.twitter.com/pRZWWGHJ5C
— Eminent Intellectual (@total_woke_) October 27, 2024
The debate extends beyond IIT Kanpur. Lady Shri Ram College (LSR), a prestigious institution in New Delhi, announced its own pre-Deepawali event titled “Nazm-e-Bahar” on October 24. Prominent writer and activist Shefali Vaidya weighed in on the issue, stating, “So LSR sends out this Deepawali invite, deliberately and consciously avoiding the word Deepawali, and calling it Noor. Why don’t they change the name of the college as well? I mean, why ‘Sri Ram’? Urduise that also; it would be in keeping with ‘secularism’!”
So LSR sents out this #deepavali invite, deliberately and consciously avoiding the word #deepawali, and calling it Noor. Why don’t they change the name of college as well? I mean why Sri Ram?Urduise that also, would be in keeping with ‘secularism’! pic.twitter.com/IgZrpQnbYS
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) October 24, 2024
Vaidya’s criticism is far from an isolated opinion. For years, she has been at the forefront and started the movement “No Bindi No Business,” which aimed to challenge the “de-Hinduisation” of Bharatiya festivals and culture by brands.
In 2021, she publicly called out Fab India for using the title “Jashn-e-Riwaaz” for its Deepawali collection, a name she deemed an unnecessary Islamic spin on a Hindu festival. “Bindi has nothing to do with an individual’s personal choice. It is about brands de-Hinduising Deepawali with models looking like Rudaalis at a Janaza. If brands want Hindu money, they should respect Hindu sentiments,” said Vaidya. Her statements catalyzed a trend on social media, and Fab India eventually changed its collection title to “Jhilmil Si Diwali.”
Vaidya in a recent interview with Organiser mentioned, “Why this wokeism is reserved only to be directed at Hindus? One by one, the lanterns, diyas, flowers, the happy joint families, the mithai, and the bright festive clothes, all disappeared. Bindi was the last significant Hindu symbol to disappear. I do not know if it was due to woke ideology becoming prominent in the advertising agencies or for whatever reason”
She also questioned, “Tell me in what part of India, does a Hindu, who celebrates Deepawali, calls it Jashne-e-Chirag? Show me one Muslim organisation that calls Bakri-eid ‘Ajaat Putra Balidaan Utsav”
The controversy around festival names and cultural appropriation is reflective of a larger concern voiced by Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, who, in his recent Vijayadashmi speech, warned of the dangers posed by ideologies like Wokeism and Cultural Marxism. In his view, these ideologies are tools of the “Deep State,” working to fragment societies by creating divisions based on race, gender, caste, and religion, much like the class struggle concept in Marxism. “Direct conflicts are created in society, and an atmosphere of anarchy and fear is intensified through distrust of the system, law, and governance, making it easier to establish their supremacy,” he cautioned.
| #RSS100 |
“‘Deep State’, ‘Wokeism’, ‘Cultural Marxist’ are the declared enemies of all cultural traditions. Complete destruction of values, traditions and whatever is considered virtuous and auspicious is a part of the modus operandi of this group.”
: Dr Mohan Bhagwat,… pic.twitter.com/75K3atsALz
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) October 12, 2024
In Bharat, for example, Dr Bhagwat believes that Wokeism encourages Hindus to feel guilty about their cultural heritage and traditions. By advocating for narratives of oppression and marginalisation, he contends, Wokeism undermines the confidence and pride that individuals might feel in their identity, gradually replacing it with self-doubt and a tendency toward Western ideologies. This psychological manipulation, he asserts, makes society more vulnerable to external ideological control and cultural erosion.
The controversy surrounding the renaming of Deepawali events and the perceived “Urdufication” of traditional Hindu festivals has brought cultural debates to the forefront. Supporters of Hindu cultural preservation argue that this trend dilutes the festival’s authentic identity and promotes a sense of detachment among the younger generation from their heritage.
