Why Is “Light” So Expensive?

“Happy Diwali” suddenly became a trending topic in the U.S. last October—because, surprise surprise, the President did it again. This time, with an official White House celebration of the Hindu, Jain, and Sikh festival of lights (October 21). Several Indian expatriates holding high positions in Donald Trump’s administration showed up, including Kash Patel, the FBI Director and a loyal Republican.

During the event, Trump also sent Diwali greetings to India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi—the man he loves to call a “great leader,” “fantastic guy,” “dear friend,” and so on. The irony? Just months earlier, Trump had slapped a 50% tariff on Indian exports to the U.S.

According to Trump, India “deserved” the tariff hike for being the biggest importer of Russian oil in Asia. Naturally, Modi faced a storm of criticism back home. His so-called “productive diplomacy” with Washington earlier that year turned out to be a bust.

Ilustrasi: pexels.com

The diamond industry in Surat—a major employer in India—also took a hit when the West blocked imports of Russian rough diamonds. Add to that the blacklisting of several Indian tech firms by the EU and North America for maintaining ties with Russia, and… well, you get the picture.

So yes, it was a global eyebrow-raiser (mine included) when Diwali lights suddenly glittered in the White House.

Could this mean that Donald Trump has finally “found the light” (literally, Diwali means “festival of lights”)—the one that will guide him toward his “Make America Great Again” dream?

Diversity Doesn’t Always Pay Off

We live in an age where a person’s worth is measured by whatever shiny thing they can show off—titles, wealth, praise, appearance, or any other surface-level achievement. It’s hard to imagine our ancestors were this obsessed with looking “superior.” Because if they were, most nations today would probably share the same cut-and-paste culture—obediently following the rhythm of that one “enlightened” voice that always seems eager to decide what’s right for everyone else.

Hinduism, after all, is a flexible belief system—it adapts wherever it lands. There’s no single “headquarters” dictating when or how Hindus must celebrate their festivals. Every community knows which days matter most to them and why.

This freedom to differ, however, isn’t great news for those who want to make money off religion. You can’t cash in big when people don’t all shop, decorate, and splurge at the same time. And in this age, let’s be honest—everyone’s chasing cash flow.

Despite the bad press Hinduism sometimes gets, India remains one of the easiest nations to work with—across political divides. It maintains good ties with Israel and Palestine (yes, both), was among the first to recognize Indonesia’s independence, and has kept steady friendships with Russia and Ukraine since the Soviet era.

And, fun fact: India even has a cordial relationship with Afghanistan—the land of the “Hindu Kush” mountains, literally translated as “Hindu Killer.” Ironic much?

Turning Negatives Into Positives

Somehow, Trump became convinced that the 50% tariff had “worked” and pressured Modi into reducing oil purchases from Russia. He even praised Modi for his “change of heart” and hinted he might reconsider the tariffs. India, unsurprisingly, stayed quiet on the matter—though Russian media assured everyone that Indo-Russian relations were “just fine.”

Of course, the Diwali event at the White House drew both praise and protest. Many non-Hindu Americans (thanks to misinformation online) thought it was only a Hindu thing—and took the chance to start a social media “holy war.” The hate campaign even dragged in Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha, who happen to be an interfaith couple.

Naturally, Trump’s critics might’ve been behind the drama—because, let’s face it, every world leader has haters who can spin outrage out of thin air. These folks don’t need much—just a headline, a hashtag, and a bit of Wi-Fi.

But not everyone lets the negativity stick. The whole “survival of the fittest” thing seems to fit Hindu communities pretty well—especially those living as minorities abroad. They’ve learned to take misunderstanding and prejudice and turn it into quiet resilience. (dswas)