October Fairs Festivals : Diwali

DIWALI : Lighting The Lamps

Every year, on the dark nights of Diwali the sound of firecrackers announces the celebration of the favourite festival of Indians. Homes are decorated, sweets are distributed by everyone and thousands of lamps lit to create a world of fantasy. Of all the festivals celebrated in India, Diwaliis by far the most glamorous and important. Enthusiastically enjoyed by people of every religion, its magical and radiant touch creates an atmosphere of joy and festivity.

The ancient story of how Diwali evolved into such a widely celebrated festival is different in various regionsand states of India. In the north, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar and the surrounding areas, Diwali is the day when King Rama's coronation was celebrated in Ayodhya after his epic war with Ravana, the demon king of Lanka By order of the royal families of Ayodhya and Mithila, the kingdom of which Sita was princess, the cities and far-flung boundaries of these kingdoms were lit up with rows of lamps, glittering on dark nights to welcome home the divine king Rama and his queen Sita after 14 years of exile , ending with an across-the-seas war in which the whole of the kingdom of Lanka was destroyed.

The first day of Diwali is Dhanatrayodashi or Dhanteras. Doorways are hung with tomns of mango leaves and marigolds. Rangolis are drawn with different coloured powders to welcome guests. The traditional motifs are often linked with auspicious symbols of good luck. Oil diyas are arranged in and around the house Because of these flickering lamps, the festival has acquired its name~Dipawali or Diwali, meaning 'a row of lamps'.

Diwali is the most popular-festive season of India. On these dark nights, the horizon is lit up by multicoloured fireworks. Crackers bursting create an incredibly loud noise. For children, this is a time of great fun.

Painted in the miniatun tradition, this lovely portrait depicts the lustrous beauty of a lady holding a lighted lamp.

The next day or Chaturdashils also called Chhoti Diwali. On the dark new moon night, the entrances to all homes are lit up and decorated with rangoli patterns to welcome Lakshmi, the radiant consort of Vishnu and the goddess of wealth and lustre. The day after the Lakshmi puJa, most families celebrate the new year by dressing in new clothes, wearing jewellery and visiting family members and business colleagues to give them sweets, dry fruits and gifts.

Among the business communities of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, Diwali is the festival when the new business year begins. All business establishments and families perform chopda pujan or veneration of their business books. Stock brokers do mahurat trading or symbolic auspicious business deals to inaugurate a prosperous new year.

The last day is Bhaidoojwhen all brothers visit their sisters with gifts and sweets. Sisters put tilaks on their brothers' foreheads, offer prayers and conduct aratis, followed by a sumptuous feast of many foods.

In many Krishna temples, Diwali is celebrated as a day of feeding and venerating cows. In Nathdwara, for instance, there is a day-long feast for cattle called Annakoot. The reason for this special place given to the cow lies deep in the religious consciousness of Indians. The sacredness of the cow goes back to the myth of the churning of the cosmic ocean by the gods. Of the 14 'jewels’ which the ocean gave to the gods, Kamadhenu, the celestial cow was one. She was venerated as the mother of the universe. The celestial cow is also called Surabhi or Nandini, the giver of joy and plenty. A cow is the constant companion of Krishna.

The classical arts of India have portrayed Diwali as a festiva of great radiance. Miniature paintings often show womer in palaces with fireworks, proving that Diwali has beer celebrated for centuries.

Diwali, one of the longest festivals in the Hindu year, is a time when everything in India comes to a standstill except family life, feasting and shopping. Diwali is considered auspicious for shopping, inaugurations of new homes, business deals or for starting any new ventures and projects. In the south, Diwalihas two more legends connected with it. The first legend again concerns the victory of good over evil.Narakasura the demon of hell, challenged Krishna to battle. After a fierce fight lasting two days, the demon was killed at dawn on Narakachaturdash.

To commemmorate this event people in peninsular India wake before sunrise and make imitation blood by mixing kurnkum or vermillion with oil. After crushing underfoot a bitter fruit as a symbol of the demon, they apply the 'blood' triumphantly on their foreheads. They then have ritual oil baths, annointing themselves with sandalwood paste. Visits to temples for prayers are followed by large family breakfasts of fruits and a variety of sweets. The second legend is about King Bali, the benevolent demon king of the netherworld. He was so powerful that he became a threat to the power of celestial deities and their kingdoms. Intimidated by his expanding empire and taking advantage of his well-known generosity, they sent Vishnu as the dwarf mendicant Vamana, to dilute Ball's power. Vamana shrewdly asked the king for land that would cover three steps as he walked. The king happily granted this gift. Having tricked Bali, Vishnu revealed himself in the full glory of his godhood. He covered the heaven in his first step and the earth in his second.

Realizing that he was pitted against the mighty Vishnu, Bah surrendered and offered his own head inviting Vishnu to step on it. Vishnu pushed him into the netherworld with his foot. In return Vishnu gave him the lamp of knowledge to light up the dark underworld. He also gave him a blessing that he would return to his people once a year to light millions of lamps from this one lamp so that on the dark new moon night of Diwali, the blinding darkness of ignorance, greed, jealousy, lust, anger, ego and laziness would be dispelled and the radiance of knowledge, wisdom and friendship prevail. Each year on Diwali day, even today, one lamp lights another and like a flame burning steadily on a windless night, brings a message of peace and harmony to the world. Whatever may be the fables and legends behind the celebration of Diwali all people exchange sweets, wear new clothes and buy jewellery at this festive time. Card parties are held in many homes. Diwali has become commercialised as the biggest annual consumer spree because every family shops for sweets, gifts and fireworks. However, in all this frenzy of shopping and eating, the steady, burning lamp is a constant symbol of an illuminated mind.