Diwali

DIWALI

India is a land of faiths and religions. Hindus celebrate a number of festivals. Every festival has its own special sanctity. Festivals reveal our joy and gaiety. They also serve as cementing forces. New clothes and friendly gatherings characterise these festivals.

Diwali or Deepawali is a popular festival in India. It is the festival of light. A light stands for knowledge. It is success. This festival implies the triumph of light. Light dispels darkness. There is a legend, Narakasura the demon was killed by Satyabhama – the consort of Lord Srikrishna. Narakasura is evil incarnate. Satyabhama is godly force.

Light and sweetness mark out this festival. Every house is decorated with festoons of light. Small electric bulbs illumine every house. In the evening businessmen worship goddess Lakshmi. New accounts are maintained. Sweets are distributed. After dusk crackers are fired. Sound and light light bombard darkness. The light is enveloped in white smoke.

Diwali stands for our yearning for more and more light. It stands for our fight against darkness within and without. All religions worship light. God is light. Peace is light. Knowledge is light. Prosperity is light. Our life itself is light. Diwali marks of Sri Rama to Ayodhya. Sri Rama defeated Ravana. Lord Mahaveera achieved liberation on this day.

We celebrate Diwali to rededicate ourselves to light it is a renewal of our faith in the forces of light. Every festival has its own special character and significance.