Diwali

DIWALI/DEEPAVALI-"Festival of Lights"!!!

Diwali or Deepavali, the ‘festival of lights’ signifies the

•  victory of good over evil,

•  light over darkness,

•  knowledge over ignorance. 

India, being a diverse multi-cultural country, has varied interpretations of Diwali. Though the history, rituals and deities may vary as we move across the country, but the essence of the festival remains the same. The festival of lights is emblematic of the elimination of spiritual darkness. Diwali is the occasion to let the light of God, enter our hearts and minds while eliminating all the ignorance and unpleasantness within. So, enrich your knowledge by learning some interesting facts about the ‘festival of lights’, Diwali given herein...!!!!

Why do we celebrate DIWALI??!!

It commemorates the death of Narakasura at the hands of Lord Sri Krishna. 

It is believed that Narakasura, a malevolent demon, tortured common people and they prayed to lord Krishna to defeat him. 

The people then celebrated Narakasura's defeat with Sparklers, lights and firecrackers. This celebration has continued down the generations as Deepavali. 

In Tamil Nadu, Diwali falls on the 14th day preceding the amavasya (new moon) in the solar month of Aippasi.

 How do we celebrate DIWALI??!! 

Typical Deepavali celebrations begin with waking up early in the morning, before sun rise, followed by an oil-bath. 

The bathing tradition involves extensive massaging of warm til-oil containing pepper corns and betel leaves. 

New clothes are typically worn as a part of celebrations. After the bath, a home-made medicine known as "Deepavali Lehiyam" is consumed, which is supposed to aid in soothing digestive problems that may ensue due to feasting that occurs later in the day.

Sparklers, firecrackers and lights are used extensively, much like the rest of the world where Deepavali is celebrated. 

Though the rest of the country celebrates Diwali traditionally on an amavasya day, Tamil Nadu will celebrate it on the preceding day,  Naraka Chaturdashi. 

In Tamil Nadu, Diwali is calculated when chaturdashi prevails during sunrise, precisely at 4am-6am. If chaturdashi prevails after 6am it is not considered.

For example, if chaturdashi tithi begins at 2:30 pm the preceding day and ends at 1pm next day, the next day will be celebrated as Diwali. Contrary to the rest of the nation, diyas are not lit on the night of diwali. Lamps are lit on the night of Karthigai Deepam, in the Tamil solar month of Karthikai.!

Interesting Facts & Trivia About DIWALI!!

• Diwali is the largest and most famous holiday celebrated in India. It marks the Hindu New Year.
• In Northern India, with the diminishing use of Sanskrit, the word ‘Deepavali’ got contracted to Diwali.
• Diwali is generally associated with the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of wealth and prosperity.
• Diwali is celebrated over a period of five days beginning in late Ashwin and ending in early Kartik.
• In South India, Diwali is referred to as ‘Deepavali’ while Narakasura Vadha is the main celebration day.
• In Hinduism, Diwali is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Rama after a 14 year exile according to North Indian traditions but down south, the death of the evil Narakasura at the hands of Lord Krishna is the main reason behind celebrating Diwali.
• In Malaysia, Diwali is celebrated as ‘Hari Diwali’ in the month of Aswayuja. It is a national public holiday in Malaysia.
• Diwali is also celebrated in Nepal and is referred to as ‘Tihar’ or ‘Swanti’. On the fourth day, the Hindu God of death, Yama is worshipped for a longer life of the people.
• Diwali is celebrated as ‘Kali Puja’ in West Bengal by worshipping Goddess Kali.
• Diwali is one of the oldest rituals for Kashmiri Pundits. There is mention of Diwali celebrations in the Nilmat Puran, and is referred to as ‘Sukhssuptika’ which literally means ‘to sleep with happiness’.
• Diwali celebrations in Orissa have a unique traditional practice of calling upon the spirits of their dead ancestors. They burn jute stems to shed light on the dark path of the spirits on their way to heaven.
• Gambling during Diwali is believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the year ahead.
• Diwali marks the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter. Farmers thank the deities for the harvest they had and pray for a prosperous harvesting season in the upcoming year.
• Diwali is also a significant festival for the Sikhs since 1577 as the foundation stone of the Golden Temple was laid on the day of Diwali.
• The business community celebrates Diwali by opening new accounting books. Diwali marks the beginning of the new financial year; hence, traders and businessman start it by offering prayers to Lord Ganesha.
• Lord Mahavira attained his Moksha or Nirvana on the day of Diwali, and so the Jain community in India celebrates the next day of Diwali as New Year’s Day.
• “Shubh Deepavali” is a customary greeting associated with Diwali, which literally means “Have an auspicious Diwali”. 

 

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