Festivals

...(if not the most important) festivals in the Hindu religion. It is celebrated passionately in India and by Indians outside of India the world over. It is commonly known as the "festival of lights" and marks the end of ignorance and beginning of enlightenment. The lights signify driving away the darkness in our lives and welcoming the light. It is also considered as the Hindu New Year.

Diwali (also commonly known as Deepavali) ...
...days it falls on each year as they're slightly different depending on the Indian calendar months, but usually Diwali falls around late October/early November.


The meaning of Deepawali (a Sanskrit word) - Deepa means light and Avali means a row - a row of lights.


~*~*~ SOME STORIES SURROUNDING DIWALI ~*~*~

Some of the stories of how Diwali came about follow:

1. One belief ... more

UPDATED 21st October 2006

Today is Diwali so what better time to write about this amazing Hindu festival?

Diwali is a perfect time to visit India as the whole country is full of celebration and splendour (although if you're like me and don't like the sound of fireworks, it could get a bit too much to handle). Banks close around Diwali time in India so be warned about banking and even though businesses close their books and open new books, people are so busy celebrating that a lot of businesses will be closed during the Diwali period - a bit like a lot of businesses close here in the UK from Christmas to New Year (well my company does anyway and it's a welcome break).

~*~*~ WHAT IS DIWALI/DEEPAVALI? ~*~*~

Diwali is one of the most important (if not the most important) festivals in the Hindu religion. It is celebrated passionately in India and by Indians outside of India the world over. It is commonly known as the "festival of lights" and marks the end of ignorance and beginning of enlightenment. The lights signify driving away the darkness in our lives and welcoming the light. It is also considered as the Hindu New Year.

Diwali (also commonly known as Deepavali) is celebrated over several days and I can't say which days it falls on each year as they're slightly different depending on the Indian calendar months, but usually Diwali falls around late October/early November.

The meaning of Deepawali (a Sanskrit word) - Deepa means light and Avali means a row - a row of lights.

~*~*~ SOME STORIES SURROUNDING DIWALI ~*~*~

Some of the stories of how Diwali came about follow:

1. One belief is that Diwali commemorates the return of Ram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the eldest son of King Dasharath of Ayodhya, from a 14-year exile with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman after killing Ravan who was an evil demon. Candle lights lit up home and fireworks were let off to celebrate Ram's return to his kingdom.

2. A king was told his son would die four days after his marriage. So his young wife kept an all night vigil on the forth night after their marriage and lit lots of candles, lamps and adorned treasures all over their room and kept her husband awake by telling him tales and singing him songs. When the God of death arrived in disguise as a serpent he was dazzled by the lights and the young bride's singing and stories and sat down to listen to her enchanting tales. So impressed was he that he left the prince alive and went away quietly the next day.

3. Another story is about a philanthropic king who was a threat to the Gods. A God came down to earth and sent him to the underworld only allowing him to rise once a year due to his generosity to spread the light of wisdom and love.

4. Gambling on Diwali is quite common and this came about because a Goddess (Parvati) played dice with her husband (Lord Shiva) on this day and she declared that whoever gambled on this day would be prosperous throughout the year.

~*~*~ WHAT HAPPENS AT DIWALI? ~*~*~

I cannot begin to give you a full detailed list of everything that goes on at Diwali as there are just so many different traditional rituals that take place but I will try to give you the most common rituals as far as I'm aware…

1. Diwali is a time to light diyas (clay or oil lamps but people use candles as well) all around the home and wear bright new clothes.

2. Family members give each other gifts and the younger generation seek to be blessed by the older generation and the elders give unlimited blessings to the young.

3. The lighting of sparklers and fireworks to symbolise brightness and happiness so that the Gods in the heavens can see and hear and grant good health, wealth and knowledge.

4. At Diwali, it is a time to spring-clean and redecorate the home to welcome in the New Year with a clean, freshly decorated and welcoming home.

5. Brother's Day - when brothers give their sisters gifts and sisters bless their brothers (funnily enough my brother expects a gift from me - his excuse - because he's younger than me) - I want to know why there isn't a Sisters Day?!!!

6. A time to close off the books for businesses and start new books. In India Diwali marks the end and start of the financial year.

7. The streets of Indian towns and villages alike are adorned with bright lights - a bit like Oxford Street at Christmas but on a much grander scale.

8. Ever tried Indian sweets? Diwali is a time to give gifts of sweets to friends, family, colleagues and neighbours. Big business for the sweet shops - best time of year for them!

9. Food, money and clothing are given to the poor to show gratitude for what one has and to share one's wealth with those less fortunate.

10. People give offerings of sweets and fruit in temples in worship.

~*~*~ HOW DO I CELEBRATE DIWALI? ~*~*~

I'm a Bengali and we celebrate Diwali in the name of "Kali Puja". Goddess Kali is a form of the Goddess Durga - Kali being all-powerful and feared by all.

In pictures Kali is depicted by a black faced Goddess with a garland of heads around her neck and her tongue stuck out - the heads symbolise the many demons she defeated and the tongue signifies her mocking humans' ignorance.

She is also depicted with her foot on a man's chest - this man, in fact, is Lord Shiva (Kali's husband) who had to take this form to stop Kali as her defeat of the demons caused her to lose control and run riot! Kali is also revered as Goddess of Tantrism - make of that what you will!

At Kali Puja we tend to go to a social function where people wear brand new clothes, eat lots and socialise with friends they've usually not seen since the previous year. People travel far and wide to attend these celebrations as it's a time of get-togethers and having fun.

As well as the above, we send Diwali greetings, whether by post or by email. I'm quoting from a greeting I received which sums up just about everything that people could wish each other at Diwali "The gift of happiness to fill your homes, the gift of prosperity to fill your lives and the gift of love to fill your heart is prayed for and wished for you and your loved ones.
May the New Year be filled with wisdom, light and prosperity and all that you hope for, wish for, pray for be yours."

~*~*~ THAT'S ALL FOLKS ~*~*~

All in all I would have to say that Diwali is really more of a social festival than a religious one. It's a time to forget any grievances and to meet up with family and friends, share gifts, make and eat splendid food and share kind words with each other. Pretty much like Christmas and New Year really, don't you agree?

Thank you for reading, I hope you've learnt something about Diwali here.

If you'd like to read more about Diwali and/or see pictures relating to it, here are a few suggested sites:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/holydays/diwali/index.shtml

http://www.reachgujarat.com/diwali.htm

http://www.diwalifestival.org/

http://www.indianchild.com/diwali.htm

P.S. I hope you enjoy the photos I've put in below... 

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