Kathmandu. Our festivals based on Hindu religion, culture and traditions are not only an occasion for entertainment, celebration and meeting, but they are also a source of profound messages and useful philosophy of life that gives a positive direction to life. Diwali is an important festival of these cultural and religious traditions. Known as the festival of light, Tihar gives the message of the victory of light over darkness, the victory of hope over despair, and the desire for prosperity over scarcity.
Lakshmi Puja is a day of special importance among the five days of Tihar. On this day, the house, courtyard and workplace are cleaned and lamps are lit. Goddess Lakshmi, the symbol of wealth, opulence, happiness, peace, and prosperity, is worshipped. We all wish that Lakshmi resides in our home, may there be happiness and peace in the family, and financial prosperity is achieved. However, the real message of Lakshmi Puja should not be limited to the desire to get wealth, but should also be linked to the preservation, utilization and guarantee of the future of the wealth obtained.
In today’s changed social and economic environment, one of the most important aspects that Lakshmi Puja teaches us is financial discipline, future security through savings, financial planning and life insurance.
From Darkness to Light: The Relevance of Life Insurance
Diwali is called the festival of lights. Light indicates positive energy, hope, faith, and new possibilities. Let’s look at the example of traffic lights in our daily life. When the traffic lights are off, there can be confusion and disorder on the road. However, when the lights are turned on, the movement of vehicles is organized according to the red, yellow, and green signals. This makes the journey safe and easy.
Life is also like this. In the journey of life, sometimes there are opportunities and sometimes challenges. Sometimes there is economic prosperity and sometimes we have to face unexpected crises. It is not certain that everything will go according to our plan. Accidents, serious illnesses, untimely deaths, or other unexpected events can have a serious impact on the financial condition of the family and future plans.
In the midst of such uncertainty, life insurance provides a systematic foundation of financial security. Just as traffic lights give direction and discipline to road journeys, life insurance helps to provide our financial life with planning, security, and confidence in the future.
Life insurance is not just a means of bearing risk. It can also become an important tool for children’s higher education, financial continuity of the family, long-term savings, life after retirement, and personal financial planning. Insurance helps to secure the financial future of the dependents in the absence of a family member.
Tihar Velvet Garland and Life Insurance Protection
The mythological context of Yamraj and Yamuna associated with Tihar also gives the message of protection and longevity of life. According to religious beliefs, Yamuna honored and welcomed her brother Yamraj with special worship, oil circles, and a garland of velvet flowers. This tradition, celebrated as a symbol of unwavering velvet flower garlands and unbreakable love, highlights the relationship of love, trust, and protection between brothers and sisters.
The seven-colored tika, velvet garland, and oil circle that sisters wear to wish for the long life, happiness and prosperity of the brothers carries a deep sense of security in our cultural life.
The importance of life insurance becomes even more evident when we look at this tradition with modern life. Just as sisters wish for the long life of their brothers, life insurance also aims to provide financial security to the family against the financial risks that may arise in the life of a person. The velvet flower garland symbolizes the continuity of love and relationships, while life insurance is a practical means of responsibility, commitment to the family, and future financial security.
It is natural for us to wish our loved ones a long life. However, it is equally important to keep in mind that the financial condition of the family should not be weakened in the event of any unexpected situation in their life. Life insurance is an important means of putting this thinking into practice.
Lakshmi Puja & Personal Financial Planning
When we perform Lakshmi Puja, we wish for the increase of wealth and prosperity in our homes. However, prosperity does not only mean an increase in income. Proper management of income, regular savings, prioritizing necessary expenses, risk management, and financial preparation for the future are also an integral part of prosperity.
From the point of view of personal finance, every person should make a savings and investment plan according to his income. Life insurance also needs to be given a proper place in such a plan. Different life insurance plans can help a person to achieve risk protection and long-term financial goals according to his needs, age, income, family obligations, and financial capacity.
In particular, it is necessary to plan on time for the education of children, the money required for higher education, the responsibility of maintaining the standard of living of the family, and the financial preparation after retirement. If life insurance can be linked to such plans, then the financial future of the family can be made more manageable.
However, it is important to choose the right plan by understanding your needs, actuarium, premium, term of insurance, risk cover, bonus and other terms while choosing life insurance.
Let’s make a gift of life insurance for the south of Tihar
During Tihar, there is a tradition of sisters giving tika and gifts to their brothers. In recent times, we have also seen the trend of giving different types of gifts to our loved ones. A new positive practice can be added to this tradition.
The culture of investing a portion of the proceeds from vaccination in life insurance for the future of the children can be developed. The practice of parents giving life insurance in the name of their children, sisters giving insurance gifts to the children of siblings, or discussing the importance of life insurance among family members can be started.
The gifts we give may be used after some time, but a properly selected life insurance plan can help in financial security and future preparation in the long run. Therefore, if we can develop the culture of giving the gift of financial security along with material gifts during Tihar, then the social and economic importance of this festival will increase further.
Message of Insurance Awareness from Deusi-Bhailo
The tradition of playing Deusi-Bhailo during Tihar is our original cultural identity. It strengthens unity, harmony, cooperation and social relations among the community. This cultural medium can also be linked to financial literacy and insurance awareness.
Through the songs, messages and social campaigns of Deusi-Bhailo, awareness can be spread about the importance of life insurance, regular savings, risk management, and financial security of the family. Such social and cultural opportunities can be useful in expanding the reach of insurance information, especially in rural and remote areas.
Making the general public aware of why life insurance is necessary, how to choose, what are the terms of the policy, and how the claim payment process proceeds can increase both trust and participation in insurance.
Insurance: Responsibilities to the Family and Commitment to the Future
In our society, the financial responsibility of the family often depends on one or a few earning members. If an unforeseen event happens to the main breadwinner of the family, it can affect the children’s education, household expenses, debt obligations, and the standard of living of the family.
The real importance of life insurance is further realized in such situations. Life insurance does not eliminate the uncertainty of life, but it helps to reduce the impact of financial risk and provide financial support to dependent families within the terms and limits of the policy.
Although the reach of life insurance is expanding in Nepal, it is necessary for every family to develop a culture of taking adequate insurance cover according to their needs and financial condition. It is not enough to have insurance, it is equally important to choose the right actuary, pay the insurance premium regularly, and understand the terms of the policy.
Finally, let’s spread the light not only at home, but also into the future
Lakshmi Puja teaches us to wish for wealth, prosperity, and happiness. Bhai Tika teaches us to wish for love, faith, and longevity. Velvet flowers remind us of the continuity of relationships, while the light of Diwali conveys a message of hope and positivity.
The importance of life insurance is self-evident when we connect all these messages with modern life. It is necessary to spread the light not only by lighting lamps at home, but also by making a financial plan to secure the future of the family. Being aware of the education of your children, the safety of the family, and the financial preparation of tomorrow from today is the journey towards real prosperity.
On this Tihar, let us all make a new resolution – worship Goddess Lakshmi at home, light a lamp of positivity in our hearts and make life insurance an integral part of our financial plan to secure the future of our family.
Life insurance is not just today’s savings, but responsible protection to the family against tomorrow’s uncertainties.
With this message, we would like to express our heartfelt best wishes to all the insurance personalities, insurance professionals, insurance agents, insurance advisors, life insurance companies, regulatory bodies of Nepal and all the insurance companies who have directly or indirectly contributed to the insurance sector.
Vision of safe family, prosperous society and insured Nepal.
