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Happy Diwali!
This article is a little late, I know. But it's never to late to learn, that's
my motto. Actually, it's just one of my mottos. Actually, I just made it up. But
anyway,
that's not the point. The point is that an important and festive Hindu
holiday just passed and I'll bet that you didn't know about it. I didn't either! But now
I've read up on it, and I am ready to share my wealth of new knowledge... iin
India, wealth is considered a reward for the good deeds of a past life, by the
way. :-)
The word "Diwali" is said to come from the Sanskrit word "deepaawali"
meaning "row of lights." Diwali is a five-day Hindu festival
celebrated all over India and the world. It is a very joyous and festive
occasion, as important to Hindus as Christmas is to Christians. The holiday occurs on the 15th day of the Hindu
month of Kartika, which generally falls around October or the beginning of
November. I believe that this year it began around October 24th or 25th.
There are many legends about the origin of Diwali, but the most widely accepted
one is that Diwali is the day when King Rama and Queen Sita were welcomed back
to Ayodha after their 14-year-exile. King Rama had defeated the demon king of
Lanka, and he was welcomed back to Ayodha to be coronated. By order of the royal
families of Ayodha and Mithila (Queen Sita's country), all the houses were to be
lit up with rows of lamps to welcome back the royal couple. Their return
resulted in a war that ended in the destruction of the kingdom of Lanka.
However, Diwali has many other meanings besides this one. It is a celebration of
the triumph of good over evil and of the glory of light. People fill their homes
with candles and lamps, set off firecrackers, and exchange gifts and sweets.
They enjoy festive meals with families and friends. Diwali is also a celebration
of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Families clean and
decorate their houses to welcome her in.
Each day of Diwali has a special meaning. On the first day, Hindus bathe, light
candles, exchange sweets, and pray for protection from an untimely death. On the
second day they worship Kali, the goddess of strength, and focus on ridding
themselves of laziness and evil. The third day is the actual Diwali, a day when
Lakshmi is worshipped. Hindus light lamps in every home to symbolize knowledge
and encourage reflection. The fourth day of Diwali is the first day of the lunar
new year, a day to settle old accounts and begin fresh. People concentrate on
removing anger, hate and jealousy from their lives. The final day is dedicated
to sisters, brothers, or an ancient Indian king named Bali, according to
different accounts.
I hope you enjoyed this a little and that you have learned some about this wonderful Hindu festival. Although you may not
personally be Hindi, I'm sure that this holiday has a lot that you can relate
to: an attempt to forget your anger and jealousy, a celebration of light, a hope
for a long life, and even receiving sweets and wealth!
Ah, there's my mom reminding me I have school tomorrow (for some reason she
didn't believe that I just must stay home to celebrate this sacred Hindu
festival. :-) Ah well, maybe next year.
Off to eat sweets (for religious sake, of course),
JasmineK
Please note: I tried my hardest to be accurate here, but different sources said
different things, so I can't be sure everything is correct. Here's where I got
my information:
http://www.nijjhar.freeserve.co.uk/Diwali.htm
http://www.ruchiskitchen.com/ruchiskitchen/festivals/deepavali.htm
http://www.bawarchi.com/festivals/diwali1.html
http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/diwali.html
http://www.yahooligans.com/content/ask_earl/20021101
www.bawarchi.com/festivals/diwali1.html
www.rumela.com/events/festival_diwali.htm
www.reachgujarat.com/diwali.htm
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