Why is Diwali celebrated? Diwali, which is sometimes also known as Deepawali which translates to English as "Row Of Lights", (or as Swanti and Tihar in Nepal ) is a major festive holiday celebrated by both the Indian and the Nepalese , and it is a very important festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. There are many Many different legends and tales commonly associated with Diwali.
This festival is also celebrated by the Buddhists of Nepal, especially the Newar Buddhists. Some theories are that Diwali may have originally been a harvest festival, which marked the last harvest of the year before the coming of the winter season. Within Northern India Diwali is also the homecoming of King Rama of Ayodhya after a fourteen years of exile in the forest. The citizens of Ayodhya, which is also the capital of King Rama's kingdom welcomed Rama by lighting rows (avali) of lamps (deepa), which is where the name, Deepawali, or alternately shortened to Diwali originated from. Within Southern India it is the day that the Lord Krishna achieved victory over the demon Narakasura. the most impotartant meaning spirituallly is "the awareness of the inner light". What people do, and how Diwali is celebrated. The holiday of Diwali is spread over a period of six days. Within an agrarian society this results in businessmen closing accounts, and starting their new accounting year off. The deity of wealth in Hinduism is the Goddess Lakshmi and is thanked for this day people pray for a financially good year. That is also one of the most common aspects in Diwali celebrations. The holiday is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs around the world and is known as the "Festival of Light," so it almost functions as a Hindu counter-part of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah which is also a festival of lights.Diwali however, is a much more spiritual holiday than Hanukkah. The lights and lamps in Diwali are used to signify the victory of the forces of good over those of evil within every human on earth. Places to be/see for Diwali The holiday is spent together with friends and family, and sometimes larger scale gatherings are held, especially in public locations such as the center of a town. Diwali Activities One popular activity is the lighting of fireworks. To celebrate, many people wear new clothes and share treats and food with each other. |
