Diwali celebrations

Etymology

Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit fusion word Dīpāvali, formed from dīpa (दीप, "light" or "lamp") and āvalī(आवली, "series, line, row"). Dīpāvali or Deepavalli thus meant "row" or "series of lights". Its celebration include millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings in the communities and countries where it is observed.

Diwali (English pronunciation: /dɨˈwɑːliː/), (Sanskrit, Hindi: दिवाली and Tamil: தீபாவளி 'deepavali'), is variously spelled or pronounced in diverse languages of India: 'divali' Marathi: दिवाळी 'divali' Punjabi: ਦੀਵਾਲੀ 'divali' Gujarati: દિવાળી'divali' Nepali: तिहार 'tihar' Sindhi: दियारी 'diyari' Oriya: ଦିପାବଲି 'deepabali' Bengali: দীপাবলী 'deepaboli' Assamese: দীপাৱলী'deepavali' Kannada: ದೀಪಾವಳಿ 'deepavali' Telugu: దీపావళి 'deepavali' and Malayalam: ദീപാവലി 'deepavali').

History

Diwali dates back to ancient times in India, as a festival after the summer harvest in the Hindu calendar month ofKarthikai. The festival is mentioned in Padma Purana, the Skanda Purana, and other Sanskrit Hindu scriptures; thedivas (lamps) are mentioned in Skanda Purana to symbolically represent parts of sun, the cosmic giver of light and energy to all life, who seasonally transitions in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik.

Significance

Diwali is one of the happiest of holidays in India, with significant preparations. People clean their homes and decorate them for the festivities. Diwali is one of the biggest shopping seasons in India; people buy new clothes for themselves and their families, gifts, appliances, kitchen utensils, small to big ticket items such as cars and gold jewelry. People also buy gifts for family members and friends which typically includes sweets, dry fruits and seasonal specialities depending on regional harvest and customs. It is also the period when little kids hear ancient stories, legends, myths and battle between good and evil, light and darkness from their parents and elders. Girls and women go shopping, and create rangoli and other creative patterns on floors, near doors and walkways. Youth and grown ups graduate to helping with lighting and preparing for patakhe (fireworks).

There is significant variation in regional practices and rituals. Depending on the region, prayers are offered before one or more deities, with most common being Lakshmi - the goddess of wealth and prosperity. On Diwali night, fireworks light up the neighborhood skies. Later, family members and invited friends celebrate the night over food and sweets.

Spiritual significance

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs to mark historical events, stories or myths, but they all spiritually mark the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, hope over despair.

In the Yoga, Vedanta, and Samkhya schools of Hindu philosophy, a central belief is that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. The celebration of Diwali as the "victory of good over evil", refers to the light of higher knowledge dispelling all ignorance, the ignorance that masks one's true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With this awakening comes compassion and the awareness of the oneness of all things, and knowledge overcomes ignorance. Diwali is the celebration of this Inner Light over spiritual darkness, knowledge over ignorance, right over wrong, good over evil.