"Diwali", the festival of lights, illuminates the
darkness of the New Year's moon, and strengthens our close friendships and
knowledge, with a self-realization!
Diwali is celebrated on a nation-wide scale on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin, (October/November) every year. It symbolizes that age-old culture ofIndia India 
Every year on the dark nights of Diwali the sound of firecrackers announces the celebration of the favorite festival of Indians. Homes are decorated, sweets are distributed by everyone and thousands of lamps are lit to create a world of fantasy. Of all the festivals celebrated inIndia
The ancient story of how Diwali evolved into such a widely celebrated festival is different in various regions and states ofIndia Bihar
and the surrounding areas, Diwali is the day when King Rama's coronation was celebrated in Ayodhya
after his epic war with Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. By order of the royal
families of Ayodhya and Mithila, the kingdom of
which Sita was princess, the cities and far-flung boundaries of these kingdoms
were lit up with rows of lamps, glittering on dark nights to welcome home the
divine king Rama and his queen Sita after 14 years of exile, ending with an
across-the-seas war in which the whole of the kingdom of Lanka was destroyed.
On the day of Diwali festival, doorways are hung with torans of mango leaves and marigolds. Rangolis are drawn with different colored powders to welcome guests. The traditional motifs are often linked with auspicious symbols of good luck. Oil diyas are arranged in and around the house. Because of these flickering lamps, the festival has acquired its name : Dipawali or Diwali meaning 'a rows of lamps'. On this day, people buy something for the house or some jewelry for the women of the house. It is auspicious to be buy something metallic, such as silver.
Whatever may be the fables and legends behind the celebrations of Diwali, all people exchange sweets, wear new clothes and buy jewelry at this festive time. Card parties are held in many homes. Diwali has become commercialized as the biggest annual consumer spree because every family shops for sweets, gifts and fireworks. However, in all this frenzy of shopping and eating, the steady, burning lamp is a constant symbol of an illuminated mind.
Diwali is celebrated on a nation-wide scale on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin, (October/November) every year. It symbolizes that age-old culture of
Every year on the dark nights of Diwali the sound of firecrackers announces the celebration of the favorite festival of Indians. Homes are decorated, sweets are distributed by everyone and thousands of lamps are lit to create a world of fantasy. Of all the festivals celebrated in
The ancient story of how Diwali evolved into such a widely celebrated festival is different in various regions and states of
On the day of Diwali festival, doorways are hung with torans of mango leaves and marigolds. Rangolis are drawn with different colored powders to welcome guests. The traditional motifs are often linked with auspicious symbols of good luck. Oil diyas are arranged in and around the house. Because of these flickering lamps, the festival has acquired its name : Dipawali or Diwali meaning 'a rows of lamps'. On this day, people buy something for the house or some jewelry for the women of the house. It is auspicious to be buy something metallic, such as silver.
Whatever may be the fables and legends behind the celebrations of Diwali, all people exchange sweets, wear new clothes and buy jewelry at this festive time. Card parties are held in many homes. Diwali has become commercialized as the biggest annual consumer spree because every family shops for sweets, gifts and fireworks. However, in all this frenzy of shopping and eating, the steady, burning lamp is a constant symbol of an illuminated mind.
Reasons
to Celebrate Diwali
1.Goddess Lakshmi’s Birthday: The Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi incarnated on the new
moon day (amaavasyaa) of the Kartik month during the churning of the ocean
(samudra-manthan), hence the association of Diwali with Lakshmi.
2. Vishnu Rescued Lakshmi: On this very day (Diwali day), Lord Vishnu in his fifth incarnation as
Vaman-avtaara rescued Lakshmi from the prison of King Bali and this is another
reason of worshipping Ma Larkshmi on Diwali.
3. Krishna
Killed Narakaasur: On the day preceding Diwali, Lord Krishna killed the
demon king Narakaasur and rescued 16,000 women from his captivity. The
celebration of this freedom went on for two days including the Diwali day as a
victory festival.
4. The Return of the
Pandavas: According to the great epic ‘Mahabharata’, it was
‘Kartik Amavashya’ when the Pandavas appeared from their 12 years of banishment
as a result of their defeat in the hands of the Kauravas at the game of dice
(gambling). The subjects who loved the Pandavas celebrated the day by lighting
the earthen lamps.
5. The Victory of Rama: According to the epic ‘Ramayana’, it was the new moon day of Kartik
when Lord Ram, Ma Sita and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya after vanquishing
Ravana and conquering Lanka. The citizens of Ayodhya decorated the entire city
with the earthen lamps and illuminated it like never before.
6. Coronation of Vikramaditya: One of the greatest Hindu King Vikramaditya was coroneted on the Diwali
day, hence Diwali became a historical event as well.
7. Special Day for the Arya
Samaj: It was the new moon day of Kartik (Diwali day) when
Maharshi Dayananda, one of the greatest reformers of Hinduism and the founder
of Arya Samaj attained his nirvana.
8. Special Day for the
Jains: Mahavir Tirthankar, considered to be the founder of
modern Jainism also attained his nirvana on Diwali day.
9. Special Day for the
Sikhs: The third Sikh Guru Amar Das institutionalized Diwali
as a Red-Letter Day when all Sikhs would gather to receive the Gurus blessings.
In 1577, the foundation stone of the Golden
Temple at Amritsar Gwalior
10. The Pope’s Diwali
Speech: In 1999, Pope John Paul II performed a special
Eucharist in an Indian church where the altar was decorated with Diwali lamps,
the Pope had a ‘tilak’ marked on his forehead and his speech was bristled with
references to the festival of light.
