At Deepavali, humanity over celebrations for pro-Palestine activist

When M Mythreyar was a child, he and his brothers and sisters would gather as early as 5am on Deepavali morning to pray and ask for their mother's blessings.

They would wash up and get ready, putting on their best clothes and going to the living room where their mother, as the most senior member of the household, would put a few drops of coconut oil on their heads.

Prayers would be held in their home or the temple before neighbours and relatives came flocking over to visit.

Today, Mythreyar is 46 years old but he still recalls every tradition, observed by his family for decades – until now.

For two years, he has chosen not to celebrate Deepavali, in solidarity with the Palestinians amid Israel's genocidal war in Gaza which began last October and has so far killed more than 40,000 civilians.

"Just recently, the aunt of one of my friends said she would not celebrate Deepavali as she was mourning the death of her son," he said.

"Imagine losing a family member and no longer having the heart to celebrate. I see the Palestinians as my own family. How can I celebrate when my family members are dying in droves with every passing minute?"

Mythreyar, an activist from Tanjung Malim, Perak, recently drew the public eye by going on a hunger strike near the Parliament building. The strike, which he maintained for more than 200 hours, was sparked by Putrajaya's sale of Malaysia Airports Holdings shares to a firm owned by BlackRock – a company accused of complicity in Israel's war crimes.

Mythreyar spent days under the hot sun, surrounded by posters and banners protesting the plan, but never got to meet with any representative from the government.

Today, he is still ridiculed by some who ask why he would give up his Deepavali celebration for the sake of the Palestinians. His answer?

"The genocide and killing won't stop just because today is Deepavali. I consider humanity more important than any celebration."

But while he is not celebrating the festival, he still helps his mother prepare for the big day by cleaning the house and cooking.

"My mother's curry, eaten with idli or thosai on Deepavali morning, is really the best," he said.

He will spend Deepavali morning with his mother but the next day, he will be in Kuala Lumpur along with fellow activists to attend a gathering outside the German embassy, where protesters will hand over a memorandum to protest the country's military aid to Israel.

His dream is to see a world at peace, where more people speak up about the meaning of humanity.

"To everyone celebrating Deepavali this year, enjoy your time with your family but remember to prioritise humanity.

"When you go to the temple to pray, remember to pray for the Palestinians too."