Diwali: A Celebration of Light, Joy, and Heritage

0

Since time immemorial, Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, has been filling people’s hearts with a sense of joy and pleasure. I have enjoyed it since my childhood days. After celebrating it at home in the village of Dhanupali, our native place, we children would go to Sambalpur town to see the celebrations. At that time, Gole Bazaar and Khetrajpur were the main business areas. In front of shops and showrooms, owners placed sweets and ‘paan’ on tables for guests amidst beautiful decorations. We were truly moved when they offered us sweets and paan, even though they were meant for relatives and invited guests. Almost all the shops and showrooms appeared new with their freshly cleaned and painted walls and doors. Diwali is the occasion when the business community starts afresh, offering Puja to Goddess Lakshmi. We were still in school then. Bhaja, one of our friends, often suggested we go to Jharsuguda, where there was a grand celebration. At that time, Jharsuguda was a sub-divisional town in the district of Sambalpur, a business hub with a railway junction, naturally blending different communities in a grand Diwali celebration. Bhaja and other friends must have visited Jharsuguda for Diwali, but I have never been able to do so, though the town is not far from Sambalpur and I visit it often on other occasions.

It is believed that Diwali was the day when Ram, Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman returned to Ayodhya after fourteen years in exile and the defeat of Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya lit lamps in front of their houses to overcome darkness and catch a glimpse of their beloved Prince Ram. This tradition of lighting lamps is believed to have begun then.

Another legend tells that the Festival of Lights marks the defeat of Narakasura, the demon king of present-day Assam. Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, killed him to free the three worlds from his oppression. His death symbolizes the victory of good over evil and Dharma over Adharma.

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, holds great religious significance in Hinduism. Besides the legends from the Treta and Dwapara eras, the festival is also associated with Goddess Kali, Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Saraswati, and Kubera, the God of wealth. Goddess Lakshmi, who married Lord Vishnu, is believed to have been born on this day. Beyond Hinduism, the festival also holds religious significance in Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.

In addition to its religious and spiritual significance, let us try to understand the Festival of Lights and the importance of light in a general way. Light is at the core of creation. Before creation, darkness reigned supreme. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. The universe came into being out of total darkness. Science speaks of this through the Big Bang theory, which led to the creation of light and energy, giving birth to the ever-expanding universe. Without light, nothing seems possible on Earth. When the sun rises in the morning, we receive light and energy from it. The lamps lit during Diwali symbolize the light and energy we receive from the sun. The moon shines in the sky by reflecting sunlight. Other planets and satellites in our solar system are also lit by the sun. There are countless stars that shine in the sky with their original light and hold mysteries yet to be understood. In his primitive stage, man lived in jungles and ate raw food. The invention of fire changed his life. Fire’s importance is such that, in Hindu mythology, fire, or Agni, is considered a deity. With the dawn of light, darkness fades away. In darkness, Satan or the devil reigns supreme, always ready to harm people. But light is so powerful that it terrifies him.

Light has emerged from darkness, leading to all creation, and one day it will merge with darkness again. The sun and all stars in the universe, emitting light, will turn dark one day. Both religion and science affirm this, though the process will be gradual. The Festival of Lights becomes all the more important as it is associated with the aspect of light. Festivals like Holi and Diwali are so deep-rooted in the Indian psyche and tradition that their origins hardly matter. History cannot record everything. Traces of Holi in the Satya, Treta, and Dwapara Yugas, and Diwali in the Treta and Dwapara Yugas, show that beyond history, many things exist in myths, traditions, and hearsay that cannot be denied or rejected outright. A tradition might have started in one era and gained prominence in another. Holi might have taken its present form during Lord Krishna’s time, though it began earlier. The tradition of firecrackers obviously started later, just as unwanted colors and chemicals have come into use on Holi over time.

Beyond lighting lamps and bursting firecrackers, Diwali carries a deeper meaning. It symbolizes the victory of good over evil, Dharma over Adharma, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. The victories of Lord Ram over Ravan and Lord Krishna over Narakasura drive home this point. The tradition of firecrackers is closely tied to the festival and is difficult to abandon immediately. However, people should obey administrative rules issued in the public interest while celebrating Diwali and bursting firecrackers. There should be a consensus on using lights and low-powered firecrackers to minimize noise and environmental harm. Elderly people and patients should not be affected by it. Celebrating Diwali with care, keeping people and houses safe, and watching over children will make each Diwali memorable. Diwali is the Festival of Lights, joy, and camaraderie, dispelling darkness from our lives. Diwali celebrations will be justified only when we celebrate with care, understanding its significance and meaning.

(The views expressed are the writer’s own)

Mr. Prafulla Kumar Majhi,

Retired Asst. Director, A. I. R, is an eminent Scholar and freelance writer in English & Odia. His areas of interests are sociocultural, economic, literary, historical and analytical studies and writings.

Email: [email protected]

Mobile.9861007190