Diwali in Hinduism

Posted on August 13, 2007 in Diwali In Hinduism

Diwali in Hinduism

Diwali, also known as the “festival of lights,” is a major Hindu festival and definitely the brightest. In the middle of the dark autumn skies, the lamps light up homes all over India, while families rejoice with visits, gifts, and feasts. Diwali normally continues for five days, starting on the 14th day of the dark half of the Hindu calendar month of Asvina.


Sanskrit roots

The word Diwali has been derived from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, which means “rows of lights.” In accordance with custom, Diwali commemorates the happy return of Lord Rama to his Kingdom in Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. When Lord Rama and his wife Sita came back to Ayodhya, their people illuminated the way with small oil lamps known as diyas.


All through Diwali, such lamps glow in lines along homes and temples, embellishing windowsills, staircases, and parapets or shine from little boats that drift along waterfronts. People light up colorful candles together with diyas, while fireworks illuminate the night sky.


People welcome the festive occasion with flowers that are fresh together with newly cleaned homes. Colorful rangolis with myriad patterns adorn numerous households. The decorative patterns made in rice flour or rangolis are generally made at the doorway of the home. Acquaintances, family, in addition to neighbors visit each other’s place and indulge in feasts and revelry in addition to little delicacy for example khil or rice puffs and patashe or sugar disks. Puja and worship of deities which is an integral part of Diwali takes place at home and at temples accompanied by prayers and additional offerings.


The significance of Diwali

Diwali in addition, symbolizes the commencement of a new financial year. New accounting in new ledgers take place in both domestic and business front. As is the custom, the ledgers are frequently embellished with images of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and is the principal deity worshipped all through Diwali.


Similar to other facets of Hinduism, the world’s oldest religion, the genesis of Diwali are not very clear. The festivity most likely has its origins in ancient harvest festivals. And akin to Hinduism, celebration of Diwali greatly varies among the faith’s 800 million believers.


Even though the Rama belief is extensive, in several parts of India, Diwali also reveres the marriage of goddess Lakshmi and god Vishnu. In some parts it is celebrated to mark the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Naraka. While for the majority of Hindus the worship of Lakshmi is the central theme of Diwali, Hindus in Bengal worship Kali, the goddess of strength. Ganesha, the god of knowledge with the head of an elephant, is also extensively worshipped in some regions together with other gods as well as goddesses.


All the uncomplicated practices of Diwali have their own implication and carry with them an inherent story. The lighting up of domestic households with lights and the skies with firecrackers is a manifestation of reverence to the heavens for the procurement of health, affluence, wisdom, peace as well as opulence. In accordance with one tradition, the sound emanating from fire-crackers are a sign of the delight of the denizens on earth, making the gods conscious of their bountiful state.

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