Wishing all my friends, family and fellow readers a very HAPPY DIWALI!
I took a little help from my son who wrote this passage on Diwali.
Diwali, or Deepavali, is known as the festival of lights in the Hindu religion. This event is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs. The significance of Diwali remains the same for all the listed religions. Diwali is known as the ‘Festival of Lights’ and is celebrated between mid-October and mid-November. For Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year; it signifies: (1) the return of Lord Rama after 14 years of undeserved exile with his recovered wife, stolen from him by the demon lord Ravan; (2) the death of another demon, Narakasura, slayed by Lord Krishna’s wife Satyabhama; and the return of the Pandava princes after their exile. These reasons are commonly associated with Diwali.
‘Diwali,’ is a contraction of ‘Deepavali’ a Sanskrit word that translates into ‘row of lamps’. Diwali is mainly consisted of lighting clay lamps filled with oil. This action is believed to signify the triumph of good over evil. The lamps are lit at night and are left burning overnight; this action welcomes Goddess Laxmi, goddess of wealth, into one’s house. One must keep his/her house clean to make the goddess feel welcome. Firecrackers are burst to drive away ill spirits and demons and to purify one’s soul. During Diwali, one wears new clothes, shares sweets and distributes gifts to family and friends. Diwali is a time to spend with family and friends, have fun and eat good food!
No comments:
Post a Comment