HELLO READERS!
DEEPAVALI
Diwali comes
from the Sanskrit word ‘Deepavali’ which means “row of lights." Many
people have come to know the holiday as the Festival of Lights, but don’t truly
understand what the holiday entails or symbolizes. Diwali is a spiritual, religious,
and social holiday filled with food, new clothes, and a new start to life. It
is considered the start of the New Year and a time when the primary
significance of the holiday is to be aware of one’s “inner light." The
holiday lasts five days and honors many Hindu deities, including Ganesh (the elephant God) and Laxmi (the Goddess of wealth and
prosperity), and the return of Lord Ram.
The story of Lord Ram’s
return from Sri Lanka is one of the most beloved in Hindu mythology, and one
many attribute to the celebration of Diwali. The story begins when the
demon and king of Sri Lanka (Ravana) kidnapped Lord Ram’s wife (Sita). It took
Ram several years and the help of both people and animals to build a bridge
from India to Sri Lanka, after which Ram defeated Ravana. Upon Ram’s return,
the people of Ayodhya (a holy town in India) welcomed Lord Ram and his wife
Sita by decorating their homes with small clay lamps. These lamps were also
symbolic of the triumph of good versus evil a theme that defines Diwali
celebrations everywhere today.
 |
Inas Shukor
No comments:
Post a Comment