Diwali (say “de-VAH-lee”) is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians.
Here on St. Maarten, people of Indian descent who are Hindus also mark the festival. Are you one of those who celebrate Diwali? If you are, have you ever shared the story with your friends who don’t celebrate? How about those who don’t celebrate Diwali, have you ever asked a friend who does what’s it all about? It is good to learn about each other’s traditions and cultures; often this helps us realize we celebrate the same thing – goodness, kindness and love – but in different ways!
The Diwali festival coincides with the Hindu New Year and is a post-harvest festival celebrating the bounty following the arrival of the monsoon in the subcontinent. It symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.
The festival occurs sometime between October and November, with the date changing each year based on the Hindu calendar.
Each religion marks historical events and stories. For Diwali, Hindus celebrate the return of deities Rama and Sita to Ayodhya after their 14-year exile. They also celebrate the day Mother Goddess Durga destroyed a demon called Mahisha. Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, is worshipped as the bringer of blessings for the New Year.
The word Diwali comes from the (very old language) Sanskrit word deepavali, meaning “rows of lighted lamps.” Homes, businesses and public places are decorated with small oil lamps called “diyas.” People also enjoy fireworks and sweets too! People visit their relatives and have feasts.
This year, the festival began on November 5 and lasts for five days; the main day of celebrations was on November 7.
Each day of Diwali has a different focus. The first day is a shopping day, especially for gold or silver. The second day is used to decorate the home, with the third day as the main day of the festival, with fireworks at night, and a feast with family and friends. On the fourth day, spouses (so moms and dads) exchange gifts. On the fifth day, brothers and sisters spend time together.
Diwali is pretty huge! Millions of people around the world celebrate it. The main day is an official holiday in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji, Myanmar, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and Guyana. In places like Melbourne, Australia and Leicester, England, there are fireworks and street festivals attended by tens of thousands of people. It is the biggest and most important holiday of the year in India.
The prayers are said on Diwali and they vary widely by region of India, for example, Vedic prayer celebrating lights is the “Pavamana Mantra” – Its translation: “From untruth lead us to Truth. From darkness lead us to Light. From death lead us to Immortality. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.” Do you know any prayer from any other religion that may be similar?
