Diwali is the festival of lights, victory over evil and
knowledge over ignorance. It is for young and old, rich or poor,
weak or strong and most importantly, it is for one and all. With
India being a multi-cultural country, each culture depicts a
different story of Diwali. One of the most important festivals
in Hindu mythology, Diwali is celebrated eighteen days after
Dusshera. One can easily picture a room full of people, dressed
in the most beautiful attires, where is a lavish layout of food,
laughter and fun when we talk of Diwali. Those living away from
home, send Diwali gifts online to their loved ones and eliminate
their absence on this fulfilling day.
How Diwali is Different in Different cultures of India.
Though Diwali is celebrated by a large segment of Indian
society, each culture has slight differences in celebrations of
this occasion. For the Jains, Diwali marks the day when Lord
Mahavir was finally liberated. In a similar vein, Sikhs
celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas as the day of release of Guru
Hargobindji from Mughal prison. Buddhists, too worship Goddess
Lakshmi to mark the occasion, while the Bengali Hindus celebrate
Diwali with Durga Puja, where they worship Goddess Durga.
Deepavali as some call it, is a festival where preparations
begin well in advance. Various customs and traditions are
attached to this beautiful festival. For some customs and
traditions are an age-old practice while for some, they are a
way of staying close to their roots. People staying away from
their country are eager to celebrate Diwali more than the ones
at home. However, when one follows a custom or tradition, it
becomes a rule. Little do people know that most do it for inner
peace and spirituality for they feel that a part of them has
given back to the supreme power they believe in through
offerings and Puja.
Customs and Traditions that follow Diwali!
From cleaning the house to buying uncountable sweets to wearing
a new dress on Diwali, each and every ritual becomes some or the
other custom or tradition of Diwali. While we do clean our
houses with all enthusiasm, we welcome a cleaner and better new
beginning for the coming year. Buying or preparing sweets at
home is an age-old practice in India. The near and dear ones sit
in a circle with plates of food and prepare food while making
memories for a life time.
Amidst the pomp and show, worshipping goddess Laxmi and lord
Ganesha becomes the center of gravity of Diwali. Whenever
something positive or new is to be started with, these two
deities are always worshipped. Similarly, in Diwali, businessmen
in Gujarat worship Laxmiji and place their accounting books in
her feet and perform the “Chopda Poojan”. This instills a
certain sense of fulfillment in the worshippers that the coming
financial year may be better than the previous one with Laxmijis
blessings.
A festival for the young as well as the old!
Diwali serves an occasion to socialize and meet and greet loved
ones. Thus, it is a festival where long lasting arguments come
to an end, foes turn into friends and the elderly are full of
blessings. Some people on Diwali indulge in gambling as a part
of good faith and enjoy the company of their friends. While, the
young are seen rejoicing and enjoying the festivals through
celebrations, firecrackers, photos and laughter.
A tradition from north, a custom from east, makes one Happy
Diwali!
Many in the north place silver coins in front of Lord Ganesha,
Goddess Laxmi and Goddess Saraswati and perform a small ritual
of washing those coins with milk and water. This signifies that
in the presence of the deities, one offers pure, legitimate and
hard-earned wealth to the supreme power. Diwali is one of the
biggest festivals for North-Indians for it also signifies the
return of Lord Rama, Lord Laxmana and Goddess Sita along with
Lord Hanuman from Lanka. It is the ultimate victory over wrong
and thus, each house is lit with oil lamps.
A beautiful and breathtaking view from the rooftops in this
festival can be seen. People decorate their homes with lights,
flowers, rangolis, and mango leaves. Often, people get their
houses white-washed and re-painted every alternate year. This
brings in a feeling change that in a way is liberating and
soothing. Some people even indulge in charitable work and
organize “Raam Roti” (free food for all) in temples and feed
those less fortunate.
Diwali is a festival for all as we know it. The religions that
do not celebrate this festival too are extremely tolerant of it
and have unique Diwali decoration ideas every year. A gurudwara
may be clad with hundreds of lights to mark the arrival of
Diwali while a mosque shall be feeding the poor to mark the
generosity of this festival. A festival that has no language but
speaks to us only through love is about giving, spreading love
and well, a little celebration too.
Diwali Celebrations For The Entire Humanity!
Children love this festival for it is a festival of light and
crackers. Almost all households in India on Diwali burst
numerous firecrackers. Bursting of firecrackers is a sign of
celebration and warding off evil. Children studying or living
abroad send Diwali gifts online to their loved ones as a gesture
of love. Sending Diwali gifts online is one of the most
convenient ways to mark your presence. You can send a Diwali
hamper of sweets or dry-fruits to your loved ones. You can even
decide to send a decorative Diwali puja thali with idols of
deities that can be used on the day of Diwali by your family.
Thus, Diwali is a festival of happiness, celebration, pomp and
fun. In its true sense, it is the festival that units one and
all and brings together different cultures. While some may
celebrate it with color, others celebrate it with crackers. It
is a festival that fills one’s health with joy and purity and
can easily be called the “Festival of Festivals”.
Diwali is a festival which is replete with customs and traditions. The lure of Diwali comes from the elaborate customs and tradition it is steeped in. The traditions and customs draw inspiration from legends which have been handed down over the centuries.
The observance of these customs and traditions is only for our own satisfaction. While it is certain that the celebration of festivals does help bring good vibrations and spirituality home, the observance of traditions is something that most people do only for their own sense of satisfaction. However, they are very important, since they help teach the children about the importance of the festival, and also help give them a religious orientation.
Most children love to indulge is every religious following. They must be encouraged to participate, since every observance then becomes more compelling and involves everyone equally.
|
Diwali Customs
Apart from the enthused
atmosphere and exuberance
that Diwali is known for,
this is really a festival
which is rooted in prayer.
Goddess Laxmi is the central
deity, and earnest pleas are
made for longevity and
prosperity. This is also a
time to reminisce about
legends which drive home the
cardinal truths of the
triumph of good, the import
of benevolence, and the
virtue of forgiveness. Apart
from the deities, any means
of generating wealth is also
offered prayer. These may
include offices, machinery,
cattle, and all metals,
including gold and silver.
Diwali is normally a time when everyone engages in indulgent shopping. Apart from what is bought for the members, the family also purchases something propitious for the house. Depending on their choices, and also the financial position in the house, people usually select items which fit their needs, taste and budgets. The affluent may make it a point to buy some gold or jewellery at this time, while others purchase grains, utensils or a little silver.
People abroad often send
Diwali Gifts to India.
Diwali Traditions
There are plenty of
traditions that go into the
making of Diwali. The first
is to clean the house
completely, and give it a
fresh coat of paint. It is
customary to buy new clothes
for members, and tapestry,
linen and artefacts are also
bought. Here are some
important Diwali traditions:
Tradition of Lamps :
Rows of resplendent
lamps adorn doorways,
windows and passages. Lamps
made from clay are the
traditional variety,
although candles, electric
lamps and large lanterns
have also become a part of
Diwali celebrations today. Children also derive great pleasure out of making their own candles and diyas using paints, clay and other decorations.
Tradition of Decoration :
Diwali decorations are
extremely attractive. Ethnic
motifs are painstakingly
made using flowers, pulses,
coloured rice, and even
coloured powder called
rangoli. These are natural
ways to adorn homes and also
double up as auspicious
symbols that are used
generously in prayer rooms. There are several forms of decorations. There are the elaborate arrangements made on the floors and temple, there are the bright hangings or torans which welcome you at the doorway, and also centrepieces which can be found around the house.
Tradition of Exchanging
Diwali Gifts :
This is the most loved part
of Diwali – the tradition to
give and receive gifts. Most
popular
Diwali Gift Hampers include
sweets and dry fruits,
aromatic candles and diyas,
crockery and even
silverware. People living
away from relatives even
send
Diwali Gifts to India.
More than the gift itself,
it is the love and spirit of
Diwali that brings a smile
to every face.
Tradition of Sharing:
This is not very common in all homes, but more and more people are making this an important feature of Diwali. They encourage children and other members to share with friends and family. This could include the Diwali gifts and sweets, and also crackers. Many others make visits to the temple to help the children understand the offerings that are made on the day. They also teach the children to share with the underprivileged and help make the joy of Diwali available to everyone.
So, have you started your Diwali preparations for Diwali? If
not, you definitely pull up your socks and get going. Hurry to
the markets to grab the best whilst there is still time. This
Diwali, think of someone else and give them the gift of
happiness, joy and love. The world could really use some
tenderness and softness towards those who cannot speak or stand
for themselves.
Last Updated : 10th October 2019
|