Diwali: The Festival of Lights
Diwali is only one of the many festivals celebrated in India. Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, is one of the most highly celebrated festivals in the world, both among Hindus and people of other faiths. Since it is synonymous with folklore, the festival has long been celebrated in India and other parts of the world. People dress up brightly for Diwali. On this day, loved ones are welcomed or fly to see their relatives (Bagchi and Baranda 242). People participate in charitable events by sharing with the least fortunate, youth and children wear fresh clothing purchased just for the day, and people engage in enjoyable leisure (Bagchi and Baranda 242). Since it is the lights festival, people decorate their houses with candles, diyas, lights, tube lights, earthen oil lamps, and fireworks, presenting an eye-catching scene in the dark sky at night (Bagchi and Baranda 242).
The Religious Significance of Diwali
The religious significance of the Diwali festival varies from one region of India to another. Diwali is celebrated to commemorate Lord Rama's victory over Ravana and Lord Rama's homecoming after 14 years of exile (Kumar et al. 17). On this day, it is believed Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita after defeating the demon king Ravana (Kumar et al. 17). In another perspective, Lord Vishnu as an incarnation of Krishna killed by Narakasura, which was certainly a demon. This particular victory led to the release of about 16000 captive girls, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil, with Lord Krishna being the good and demon Narakasura representing the evil (Kumar et al. 17). In other words, Diwali is a ceremony commemorating or representing the victory of the forces of virtue over the forces of evil or the triumph of light over darkness. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is also worshiped on this day to visit the homes of Hindus and bestow prosperity and success unto them. Merchant open new account books on this day (Kumar et al. 17).
References
Bagchi, Tilak, and Yashpal Baranda. "Celebration of Diwali Festival in Some Bhil Villages of Udaipur, Rajasthan." Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India, vol. 67, no. 2, 2018, pp. 239-251.
Kumar, Vinod et al. "Enhancing Public Engagement for Green Diwali: An Initiative of Centre for Sustainability, Growth, and Development (CSGD)." International Journal of Social Ecology and Sustainable Development (IJSESD), vol. 11, no. 4, 2020, pp. 15-26.
