/ Sarwan Singh Randhawa
The original form of Diwali is Deepawali, which literally means "rows of lighted lamps" and the celebration is often referred to as the Festival of Lights. It has been celebrated for ages and grows in attraction by the year. Everyone enjoys the goodies, the shine, glamour, and the endless enthusiasm for living that suddenly grips people around this time. But there is much more to Diwali than feasting and merrymaking. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. Dipawali is essentially a festival for householders. The preparations, the rituals, the entire celebration focuses on the home and family, spanning out to cover the community as a natural extension. This is an occasion for everyone, irrespective of age, colour, caste and religion.
Diwali is held in memory of mythological and historical stories, which say that the evil demons were slain by many God incarnations. As on this day Lord Rama returned to his kingdom after fourteen years of exile. People rejoice because Lord Rama had conquered Ravana, a cruel king. He had conquered evil, and good had triumphed. Among the Sikhs, Diwali came to have a special significance on the return to its sixth master, Guru Hargobind who had been captive in the fort of Gwalior under the orders of Mughal emperor Jahangir. Guru ji also got 52 Hindu rajas (small kings) released from the prison of the king.
The celebration of this festival has a deep meaning. It comes on the darkest night of the year. In Hindu philosophy darkness is compared to ignorance and lighting the lamp has significance of losing ignorance and gaining knowledge. The lighting of Deevas in every house brings brightness and joy and hope of finding light in darkness, achieving knowledge where there is ignorance, and spreading love where there is hatred. Illuminating the house with colourful lights means that the mind should be decorated with spiritual accessories such as peach, love, tolerance, generosity, etc. A bath in starlight before sunrise, is accepted as purifying soul and body. Such cleaning and focus on newness are symbolic of the casting off of the last year's sins and hope for a fresh new year.
It is most important and colorful of the Indian Festivals that has both the traditions of Thanksgiving and Christmas. We give thanks to God and share good will with fellow human beings. The event signifies renewal of life, of "light over darkness", and working toward inner enlightenment. On the day of Diwali, people go house to house to exchange gifts and sweets. By exchanging gifts and sweets, people are advised to forget old grudges and wipe the slate clean, and have good wishes and pure feelings for others. On this day, the businessmen close their books of old accounts and start new ones that denotes the giving up of bad habits and cultivating new attitudes.
Thus, It is a celebration of joy, brightness and happiness, and is associated with victory of good on evil, sharing, caring, forgiving, and loving sentiments. From darkness we enter into light, and light empowers us to do good deeds and bring us closer to divinity. It gives us the message that no matter how dark the times, we shall keep the light of our minds turned on and with a conscious mind, we shall try to find a way out. A strong will power improves life, and success in some aim boosts one's confidence and opens up doors to new and higher goals. It promotes social and practical purposes of sharing, caring, forgiving, and loving sentiments. This gives a message to fight with social evils as we have so many like drugs, prejudice, violence etc. Let us hope to fight these underlying demons with illumination of our inner lights.
