Diwali a festival of light, joy, happiness and positivity is celebrated with great fervour across India. Diwali sets the spirit of each individual with divine splendour.
Diwali a 'festival of lights', joy, happiness and positivity is celebrated with great fervour across India. Diwali sets the spirit of each individual with divine splendour. It symbolises the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair. Diwali is usually celebrated during the onset of winter season.
Diwali or Deepawali in sanskrit literally means a row of lights. 'Deep' meaning oil or clay lamps and 'Awali' means row, hence row of lights. According to the Hindu lunar calendar Diwali is celebrated on the 15th day of 'Kartika maas' the holiest month as stated by Hindu mythology.
Why we celebrate the 'festival of lights?
Like many other festivals there are many versions behind the cause of celebrations for the festival. Diwali is celebrated to commemorate the victorious homecoming of Lord Ram after 14 years of exile.
Lord Rama was the eldest son of King of Ayodhya Dashrath. Rama was sent to exile of 14 years by Ayodhya's king in order to fulfil the boon granted to his youngest and third wife Kaikeyi.
Kaikeyi had huge role to play in the series of events that lead to observing the festivals like Dussehra and Diwali. She being Rama's step mother, loved Rama more than her own son Bharat.
Manthra, a royal mistress of Queen Kaikeyi, was the mind behind queen's fear and insecurities. Manthra filled Kaikeyi's mind with the fear of losing all respect, attention and dignity from the Kingdom once Lord Rama would ascend the throne of Ayodhya.
Mislead by the mistress, Kaikeyi who was granted a boon by King Dashratha in order to save his life asked the King to send Lord Rama away from the kingdom to exile of 14 years and his son shall succeed the King Dashratha.
Appalled by the queen's wish and bound by the promises Dashratha asked his beloved son to leave Ayodhya and spend a life of banishment far away in the forests for 14 years. Grief stricken King passes away with a brokenhe his son leave. During his exile of 14 years Lord Rama was accompanied with his wife Sita and his younger brother Laxaman. They had to face many atrocities during the period of banishment.
Diwali is celebrated 21 days after Vijay Dashmi or Dussehra. Lord Rama killed Ravana, the King of Lankesh (now Sri Lanka), and lead to his tyranny.
The villain of Ramayan, Ravana, had kidnapped Sita and brought her to Lanka. With the help of apes and his army of monkeys (vaanar sena) Rama slayed Ravana in a battle.
Rama, Sita and Laxaman after the victory of good over evil started to walk back to Ayodhya from Sri Lanka. It took them 21 days to reach back and hence this is the only reason Diwali is celebrated exactly after 21 days of Vijay Dashmi celebrations.
Significance of Diwali
Lord Rama returned to his Kingdom, the city of Ayodhya on a new moon day. (New moon day is the phase of the moon when no moon is seen due to positioning of Earth on the dark side of sun.) So, the citizens of Ayodhya had lit the paths to the city with oil lamps in order to guide and welcome their Lord back home.
Row of lights are lit even today to mark the victory of lights over dark. Diwali not only signifies the essence of light in our lives but also gives each individual a time to reflect on all the good aspects of life.
Different regions have significant variations of religious practises and rituals observed during this festive season. Diwali being the biggest shopping festival marks an important event for all the businessmen.
People clean, renovate and decorate their houses to celebrate the festival. Women and young girls make rangoli and creative patterns with colours. Families reunite and exchange gifts and sweets with each other.
People also buy new clothes for the Laxmi Pujan ritual performed on the day of Diwali. Oil lamps are lit and crackers are burst to celebrate the festive season.
Time of Celebrations
Diwali is celebrated by various religious sects like the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists.
The five day Hindu festival is begins with celebrating 'Dhanteras' on the first day. On the second day we celebrate 'Naraka Chaturdasi' or the 'Choti Diwali'followed by the Diwali night on the third day where we pray to Goddess Laxami (deity of health and wealth), Lord Ganesha (Lord of good luck and prosperity) and Goddess Saraswati(the goddess of knowledge and wisdom).
On behalf of DNA team we wish, that this year Goddess Laxami shall bless you all with great health, wealth and knowledge. Happy Diwali, 2017.
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 "Happy Diwali 2017")
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