Chair of the Meeting: President Basil Dias
Anthem: Arthur
Toast to The King, Canada and Rotary: President Basil Dias
Attendance: 12 + 2 guests (Sandra – Courtney’s wife, Michael Conway of the Agincourt Rotary Club)
Suresh Agarwal – Sanatan Dharma, why Hindus celebrate Diwali, and what it truly means.Alan Meredith introduced today’s speaker Suresh Agarwal. While Alan did not have much information he was looking forward to Suresh’s talk on Diwali.
Suresh’s presentation introduces the ancient spiritual principles of Hinduism, and he explains how Diwali celebrates goodness, enlightenment, family, gratitude, and the shared human values that bring communities together.
The presentation emphasizes that both Sanatan Dharma and Diwali promote values that extend beyond any one religion or culture:
- Kindness and compassion toward others.
- Respect for different beliefs and traditions.
- Personal responsibility and ethical behavior.
- The importance of family, community, and generosity.
- Hope, peace, and the belief that goodness can overcome darkness.
Sanatan Dharma, meaning roughly “Eternal Order” or “Eternal Truth,” is a traditional name associated with Hinduism. Rooted in the Vedas and ancient oral traditions, it emphasizes enduring spiritual principles without a single historical founder. Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism share some concepts and historical connections with Hinduism while remaining distinct religions.
Central concepts include Dharma, or ethical duty and cosmic order; Karma, the consequences of actions; Samsara, the cycle of rebirth; Moksha, spiritual liberation; and Atman, the enduring spiritual self. Truthfulness and nonviolence are important virtues. Common practices include meditation, self-inquiry, ritual worship, devotion, and paths of yoga emphasizing selfless action, wisdom, and spiritual discipline.
The name “Hindu” began as an external geographic label for people living in South Asia and gradually came to encompass the region’s diverse religious and philosophical traditions. Europeans also used broad labels such as “Gentoos,” derived from the Portuguese word gentio, meaning Gentile or pagan.
Diwali, or Deepavali, is the Festival of Lights, celebrating the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. Observed by Hindu, Jain, Sikh, and some Buddhist communities worldwide, it brings people together through lamps, decorations, prayers, fireworks, and shared meals. One well-known tradition connects the festival to Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after exile and his defeat of Ravana.
The five days of Diwali celebrate health and prosperity through Dhanteras, Krishna’s victory over Narakasura, worship of Goddess Lakshmi, gratitude for nature through Govardhan Puja, and sibling bonds through Bhai Dooj. Customs vary by region, but family gatherings, exchanging gifts, and sharing traditional sweets and savory foods are central to the celebrations.
Dave Hardy thanked Suresh for his presentation to the club.
There will be a club services meeting at the Coach House on Monday November 9th.
Courtney will send the zoom link for his meeting on Tuesday Nov 10
Reminder that next week’s lunch meeting on the 11th of November is the Clubs Remembrance Day Meeting and hopefully will be well attended.
Michael Conway donated a bottle of wine to be auctioned off which raised $50.00. Thank you, Michael.
Barry Smith was SAA and he collected the following happy bucks
- Danny was happy to learn about Diwali
- Mike was happy that his Knee operation is coming up soon which means we may not see him until he is mobile again.
- Michael and Arthur were happy
- Courtney was happy that Sandra was able to attend this week’s meeting
There being no further business for the good of Rotary, Basil closed the meeting.
