Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights and it is a major Hindu holiday for many people in Asia. This celebration is often carried out by the Indian people. It takes place between the middle part of October and it ends in the middle part of November. The Festival of Lights represents the victory of light in the world over the darkness that is trying to destroy it. Diwali: The Festival of Lights.
Hinduism is a collection of religious traditions that provide spiritual guidance on various aspects of life. One of the most important aspects of human existence has to do with the concept of good and evil. Hinduism requires its adherents to believe that light will overcome darkness, that good will rise above evil and that knowledge will vanquish ignorance. These tenants are at the heart of Diwali.
The term Diwali is derived from two Indian words. One is “avali” meaning row and the other is “deepa” meaning clay lamps. The literal translation of these two words is: “a row of clay lamps or a row of lights”. Lighting lamps (or simply turning on electric lights) during the nighttime symbolizes how Indian people are able to defeat evil in their lives and the darkness that constantly surrounds them.
Many different regions in India have their own specific celebration for this day. Most of them involve a powerful good deity defeating an evil demon. This is the reason why they light the lamps. Also, people clean their homes, wear their best clothing, and they shop for kitchen utensils and gold to bring them good luck.
People also used special colored sand on their floors to create a pattern for their lamps or lights. This pattern is called rangoli. On different days of the festival, people pray, visit relatives, exchange gifts, and have lavish meals. Finally, brothers who have married sisters will go to their house to eat a meal with their family. Many Indian people (Hindu worshippers and even other faiths) enjoy this holiday tradition. The Festival of Lights is a national holiday for the Indian people, and it is a season that many people look forward to with great anticipation.
