Tomorrow the broader Hindu community will celebrate Diwali, a festival of lights that usually falls between October and early November. Following this, on Saturday, 2 November, the Hindu Gujarati community will mark their New Year, traditionally celebrated after Diwali. This period is filled with joy, reflection, and cultural significance, as families come together to honor traditions and celebrate new beginnings.
Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Celebrated with the lighting of divas (candles) after 6 PM, it transforms the evening into a radiant display of hope and joy. Fireworks further enhance the festivities, representing the dispelling of negativity and the welcoming of positivity into our lives. This celebration brings families together, fostering love and harmony, and serves as a reminder to embrace light in our lives.
The largest and most colorful of all Hindu holidays is Deepawali, also known as Deepavali or Diwali. The celebration is called "a row of lights" because the words "deep" and "avali" imply "light" and "a row of lights," respectively. Four days of celebration are held to commemorate Diwali, which actually lights up the nation with its brightness and enchants everyone with its happiness
The Origins of Diwali
Diwali, often referred to as the Festival of Lights, has a rich and varied history rooted in ancient India. It likely originated as a harvest festival but has evolved to encompass multiple legends and cultural significances.
One popular belief centers on the marriage of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, to Lord Vishnu, with some celebrating her birthday on the new-moon day of Kartik. In Bengal, the festival shifts focus to the worship of Mother Kali, symbolizing strength.
For Jains, Diwali marks the attainment of nirvana by Lord Mahavira. Additionally, the festival commemorates Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after defeating the demon-king Ravana, with the citizens lighting diyas to celebrate their king's homecoming. The blend of these traditions makes Diwali a vibrant and multifaceted celebration across various cultures and religions in India.
The Four Days of Diwali:
Each day of Diwali carries its own unique significance and stories.
The first day, **Naraka Chaturdasi**, celebrates Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Naraka, aided by his wife Satyabhama, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.
The second day, **Amavasya**, is dedicated to worshiping Lakshmi, believed to be at her most generous, granting the wishes of her devotees. This day also recalls Lord Vishnu's dwarf avatar vanquishing the tyrant Bali, who is allowed to return annually to illuminate the world with lamps, dispelling darkness and ignorance.
On the third day, **Kartika Shudda Padyami**, Bali ascends from hell to rule the earth, reflecting the cycle of life and the importance of balance.
The fourth day, **Yama Dvitiya** (or Bhai Dooj), is a special occasion where sisters invite their brothers to their homes, reinforcing familial bonds and love. Each day of Diwali intricately weaves together themes of victory, devotion, and togetherness.
Dhanteras: The Tradition of Gambling
Some consider Diwali a five-day festival, starting with **Dhanteras**, which celebrates wealth and prosperity two days before the main festivities. The name "Dhanteras" combines "dhan" (wealth) and "teras" (13th), marking the significance of prosperity in this celebration.
The tradition of gambling during Diwali is linked to a legend where Goddess Parvati played dice with Lord Shiva, declaring that those who gamble on this night would enjoy prosperity for the coming year.
Lights and fireworks play a crucial role in Diwali celebrations. Homes are adorned with illuminations, and firecrackers light up the night sky, symbolizing joy and gratitude to the heavens for health, wealth, knowledge, and peace. One belief is that the loud sounds of firecrackers convey earthly happiness to the gods, while another practical reason is that the smoke can help deter insects like mosquitoes, common after the monsoon. These rituals together create an atmosphere of celebration and reverence during the festival.
The Spiritual Significance of Diwali
Beyond the lights, gambling, and fun, Diwali is also a time to reflect on life and make changes for the upcoming year. With that, there are a number of customs that revelers hold dear each year.
Give and forgive. It is common practice that people forget and forgive the wrongs done by others during Diwali. There is an air of freedom, festivity, and friendliness everywhere.
Rise and shine. Waking up during the Brahmamuhurta (at 4 a.m., or 1 1/2 hours before sunrise) is a great blessing from the standpoint of health, ethical discipline, efficiency in work, and spiritual advancement. The sages who instituted this Deepawali custom may have hoped that their descendants would realize its benefits and make it a regular habit in their lives.
Unite and unify. Diwali is a unifying event, and it can soften even the hardest of hearts. It is a time when people mingle about in joy and embrace one another.
Those with keen inner spiritual ears will clearly hear the voice of the sages, "O children of God unite, and love all." The vibrations produced by the greetings of love, which fill the atmosphere, are powerful. When the heart has considerably hardened, only a continuous celebration of Deepavali can rekindle the urgent need of turning away from the ruinous path of hatred.
Prosper and progress. On this day, Hindu merchants in North India open their new account books and pray for success and prosperity during the coming year. People buy new clothes for the family. Employers, too, purchase new clothes for their employees.
Homes are cleaned and decorated by day and illuminated by night with earthen oil lamps. The best and finest illuminations can be seen in Bombay and Amritsar. The famous Golden Temple at Amritsar is lit in the evening with thousands of lamps.
This festival instills charity in the hearts of people, who perform good deeds. This includes Govardhan Puja, a celebration by Vaishnavites on the fourth day of Diwali. On this day, they feed the poor on an incredible scale.
Illuminate your inner self. The lights of Diwali also signify a time of inner illumination. Hindus believe that the light of lights is the one that steadily shines in the chamber of the heart. Sitting quietly and fixing the mind on this supreme light illuminates the soul. It is an opportunity to cultivate and enjoy eternal bliss.
From Darkness Unto Light...
In each legend, myth, and story of Deepawali lies the significance of the victory of good over evil. It is with each Deepawali and the lights that illuminate our homes and hearts that this simple truth finds new reason and hope.
From darkness unto light—the light empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds and brings us closer to divinity. During Diwali, lights illuminate every corner of India, and the scent of incense sticks hangs in the air, mingled with the sounds of firecrackers, joy, togetherness, and hope.
Diwali is celebrated around the globe. Outside of India, it is more than a Hindu festival; it's a celebration of South-Asian identities. If you are away from the sights and sounds of Diwali, light a diya, sit quietly, shut your eyes, withdraw the senses, concentrate on this supreme light, and illuminate the soul.
The Spiritual Significance of Diwali
Beyond the lights, gambling, and fun, Diwali is also a time to reflect on life and make changes for the upcoming year. With that, there are a number of customs that revelers hold dear each year.
Give and forgive. It is common practice that people forget and forgive the wrongs done by others during Diwali. There is an air of freedom, festivity, and friendliness everywhere.
Rise and shine. Waking up during the Brahmamuhurta (at 4 a.m., or 1 1/2 hours before sunrise) is a great blessing from the standpoint of health, ethical discipline, efficiency in work, and spiritual advancement. The sages who instituted this Deepawali custom may have hoped that their descendants would realize its benefits and make it a regular habit in their lives.
Unite and unify. Diwali is a unifying event, and it can soften even the hardest of hearts. It is a time when people mingle about in joy and embrace one another.
Those with keen inner spiritual ears will clearly hear the voice of the sages, "O children of God unite, and love all." The vibrations produced by the greetings of love, which fill the atmosphere, are powerful. When the heart has considerably hardened, only a continuous celebration of Deepavali can rekindle the urgent need of turning away from the ruinous path of hatred.
Prosper and progress. On this day, Hindu merchants in North India open their new account books and pray for success and prosperity during the coming year. People buy new clothes for the family. Employers, too, purchase new clothes for their employees.
Homes are cleaned and decorated by day and illuminated by night with earthen oil lamps. The best and finest illuminations can be seen in Bombay and Amritsar. The famous Golden Temple at Amritsar is lit in the evening with thousands of lamps.
This festival instills charity in the hearts of people, who perform good deeds. This includes Govardhan Puja, a celebration by Vaishnavites on the fourth day of Diwali. On this day, they feed the poor on an incredible scale.
Illuminate your inner self. The lights of Diwali also signify a time of inner illumination. Hindus believe that the light of lights is the one that steadily shines in the chamber of the heart. Sitting quietly and fixing the mind on this supreme light illuminates the soul. It is an opportunity to cultivate and enjoy eternal bliss.
From Darkness Unto Light...
In each legend, myth, and story of Deepawali lies the significance of the victory of good over evil. It is with each Deepawali and the lights that illuminate our homes and hearts that this simple truth finds new reason and hope.
From darkness unto light—the light empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds and brings us closer to divinity. During Diwali, lights illuminate every corner of India, and the scent of incense sticks hangs in the air, mingled with the sounds of firecrackers, joy, togetherness, and hope.
Diwali is celebrated around the globe. Outside of India, it is more than a Hindu festival; it's a celebration of South-Asian identities. If you are away from the sights and sounds of Diwali, light a diya, sit quietly, shut your eyes, withdraw the senses, concentrate on this supreme light, and illuminate the soul.
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