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Diwali - Festival of Lights
By
Liz Canham
Diwali is celebrated all over India and elsewhere in the world where
Indians gather together. Traditionally known by its Sanskrit name
Deepavali, it actually means 'a row of lights'. Although predominantly a
Hindu festival, it is observed by Sikhs and Jains as well. In general,
Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, goodness over evil
and knowledge over ignorance. The story of its origins varies, depending
on where you happen to be.
In northern India, the story goes that King Rama fought a lengthy war
against Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. The festival is in honour of
his victory, his homecoming with his wife, Sita, to Ayodhya and his
coronation. In Gujarat, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is the focus and
in Bengal, the festival honours the goddess Kali, to some a violent
creature and to others, the mother goddess.
No matter what the regional differences, Diwali means rebirth and people
often wear new clothes to signify this, they also thoroughly clean their
houses and in India, decorate their courtyards with patterns, known as
'rangoli' created with powdered or diluted paint. To add to the festive
air, doorways are draped with garlands of mango leaves and marigolds,
known as 'torans' It also means that winter is coming and seeds must be
sown to ensure food supplies for the following year.
The actual date of Diwali varies according to the Hindu calendar but
generally falls towards the end of October/beginning of November. The
festival itself lasts for five days, each of which has designated
rituals of worship to various gods and goddesses but it is the third day
which includes the fun of processions and fireworks.
It is a time to exchange gifts with family and friends, somewhat like
the Christian festival of Christmas. Traditionally, houses are cleaned
thoroughly then decorated with oil lamps called diyas and candles and
streets are strung with fairy lights. The ground outside homes and
temples is decorated with Rangoli patterns, often made with coloured
rice and flour and water to attract the attention of the Goddess Lakshmi.
Sweets and fire crackers are bought and food and clothes given to the
poor.
It is the custom to give sweets, dried fruits or flowers as Diwali gifts
when visiting, neighbours and relatives but in these modern times, the
gifts are often rather more valuable such as jewellery, silk, leather or
silver goods. For close family, even electronic goods such as a camera
or television might be seen as appropriate.
There are a number of traditional sweet and savoury foods for Diwali.
The recipes for these vary from family to family but will remain the
same year after year.
(Editor's note: you can find some delicious Diwali
recipes here)
Legend has it that Lord Shiva and his wife, the Goddess Parvati played
dice on Diwali day and she decreed that gambling on Diwali night would
ensure prosperity throughout the coming year. The influence of the
goddess Lakshmi is considered to bring luck to gamblers and these days
people play betting card games, in the hopes of being favoured by the
goddess of wealth.
As well as a love of
Asian Food and Cookery, Liz seeks to help newcomers to the world of
internet marketing with tools, tips and training from her
www.Liz-e-Biz.com website.
Back to Diwali for Kids
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