While reading up on the internet about Diwali I found major networks and publishing houses have done a piece on the festival and most of it felt so animated and so impersonal, so before leaving for work I want to give some context and personal experience about the festival.
Legends and Beliefs around Diwali:
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ram (Usually written phonetically “Rama”), the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu was exiled from his kingdom in Ayodhya to live in a forest for fourteen years due to a family dispute in accession to the throne.
While in exile his wife the Lady Sita or Seeta, who is an embodiment of resilience and an avatar of Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu was abducted by the king of “Lanka” and he waged a war with the help of Lord Hanuman to win her back. When he returned home people in Ayodhya celebrated his homecoming by lighting lamps, thus the name Diwali or Deepawali , meaning a row of lamps.
It also marks the birth of Goddess Laxmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu from what is known as “sagar manthan” meaning churning of the ocean. It is also believed that the the goddess of wealth and prosperity (Shri Laxmi) roams the earth on the night of the Diwali, therefore people keep their doors and windows open to welcome her in the house.
This festival is also celebrated by Jains as the day Lord Mahavira attained his spiritual awakening. The Sikhs celebrate the festival along with Hindus with added significance of the release of the Sixth Guru, Shri Hargobind Singh Ji from prison by the Mughal emperor, Jahangir on the same day celebrated by the Sikhs as “Bandi Chor divas”.
The Significance for me :
Be Whatever reason the festival is a major celebration in India and it falls within the “festive season” right after “Durga Pooja” and followed by “Chhath”, a sun worshipping festival celebrated mostly in the northern part of India.
As Kids Diwali meant a lots of work and fun at the same time. We usually got a fresh coat of paint in our house, so that meant a lot of moving things around and cleaning up the house. I enjoyed it as it was such a family affair and sometimes you find something that you thought you had lost. It was also a lot of effort I have to admit.
The freshly painted house was to be decorated with flowers and festival lights. So me and my brothers dangled lights all over our house, the trees in the garden, in the worship room or temple in our house. Diwali was about praying to Lord Ganesha (the remover of obstacles) and Goddess Laxmi (The Goddess of wealth, It also happens to be her birthday) for removing obstacles in our path and bringing us happiness and prosperity.
We would make Rangoli, with colours believed to bring your luck and prosperity. Diwali also meant a lot of food among other things my mom would make choole (Chick peas), Paneer (Cottage Cheese) and Poori with Kheer (Rice porridge) and of course boondi ke ladoo (Sweets).
In the evening with all preparations done we would gather in dressed up in our new clothes and pray to the gods for blessings.
Then time for the parents to socialize, visit the neighbours with sweets to wish them well and having a few people over for dinner and for us kids it was time for fireworks. Bursting crackers and being safe about it with friends and enjoying lights and lamps all around us with lots of noise of bursting crackers and lot of happy faces.
The food, the happy faces, the worship, the new clothes, crackers, rangoli and warmth of family and the illumination of lamps made for a perfect evening of celebrations.
Happy Diwali and may this festival remove all the obstacles in your path and usher you into a new light of happiness and prosperity.
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