Diwali Festival | Diwali Across India | Diwali Traditional Lakshmi Puja
Diwali or Deepavali a significant festival in Hinduism
, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and an official holiday in India. Adherents of these religions celebrate Diwali as the Festival of Lights. They light diyas - cotton string wicks inserted in small clay pots filled with oil - to signify victory of good over the evil within an individual.In Hinduism, across many parts of India and Nepal, it is the homecoming of Rama after a 14-year exile in the forest and his victory over Ravana. In the legend, the people of Ayodhya welcomed Rama by lighting rows of lamps, thus its name: Deepavali. In South India, it marks the victory of Krishna over Narakasura.
Diwali celebrates this through festive fireworks, lights, flowers, sharing of sweets, and worship. While the story behind Diwali varies from region to region, the essence is the same - to rejoice in the inner light or the underlying reality of all things.
Diwali marks the end of the harvest season in most of India and Nepal. Farmers are thankful for the plentiful bounty of the year gone by, and pray for a good harvest for the year to come. Traditionally this marked the closing of accounts for businesses dependent on the agrarian cycle, and the last major celebration before winter. Lakshmi symbolizes wealth and prosperity, and her blessings are invoked for a good year ahead. My article here is all about this lovely festival of light and happiness!
Diwali is a festival that binds all Indians across the country. The Hindu festival of Diwali is celebrated across the country, with their own little local nuances. Essentially remaining the same, Diwali still differs from state to state.
Since Punjab remains the bread basket of India, cattle is worshipped on Diwali. Lakshmi puja is performed, and it is hoped that the goddess of wealth will shower prosperity on the family and home. A silver coin is immersed in milk, and this milk is then sprinkled in all the rooms of the house, as holy water. Diwali is celebrated to mark the home coming of Ram, after 14 years of exile. Since Diwali falls on Amavasya ( moon less night) lamps are lit to welcome Ram and Sita.
In Tamil nadu the ritual of taking an oil bath on the morning of Diwali is a tradition now. It is believed that this is equivalent to bathing in the holy water of the Ganges. In Andhra, a ceremonial bath is given to buffaloes on Diwali day. In Orissa a colourful rangoli is drawn and decorated with spices and pulses, signifying plenty for the coming year.
Maharashtra comes alive on Diwali with a traditional Lakshmi puja. It is believed, the goddess of wealth will enter the homes of the devoted on this day, showering the inmates with wealth and prosperity. In Goa, large effigies of the demon, Narakasura are first built, and then burnt to ashes. It symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.
India is an interesting tapestry wherein several different rituals have been interwoven to create the larger picture of celebration.
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