Introduction
While researching the Indian festival of Diwali I found so many fascinating references relevant to Universal Spirituality, astrology and history that I compiled this rather lengthy blog from several sources. Diwali (aka Deepawali or Deepavali) is the 5-day festival of light that will be celebrated by Indians throughout the world beginning on October 17th. U.S. President Barack Obama celebrated Deepavali by lighting the ceremonial lamp at the White House amidst chanting of Vedic mantras seeking world peace, becoming the first U.S. President to personally grace the occasion. “I think it’s fitting that we begin this work in the week leading up to the holiday of Diwali — the festival of lights — when members of some of the world’s greatest faiths celebrate the triumph of good over evil,” Mr. Obama said in his remarks on the occasion at a White House function held at its historic East Room on Wednesday.
This is for the first time that a U.S. President attended and celebrated Deepavali at the White House — thus giving an official recognition to the festival of lights celebrated across the world by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. “This coming Saturday, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, here in America and around the world, will celebrate this holiday by lighting ‘Diyas’, or lamps, which symbolise the victory of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance,” Mr. Obama said. Among those present at the occasion were several eminent members of the Indian community, nearly half a dozen members of his Cabinet and several Indian American members of his administration. The visiting Union Minister of Commerce, Anand Sharma, and Indian Ambassador to the U.S., Meera Shankar, were in attendance as well.
What is Deepawali?
Deepawali is the festival of light celebrated since times unknown in every part of India, from grass-thatched mud huts to palaces. Not only Hindus and followers of other indigenous sects (Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists) but even Christians and Muslims are enthusiastic about it. More than a religious festival or the festival of a community or race, Deepawali is perceived as the battle of light against darkness – a tiny lamp’s determination to illuminate the earth and the sky setting them free from the all-enshrouding darkness. People see in the effort of the tiny lamp (or “diya”) their own effort to wade across the ocean of adversities, and this sense it fills them with renewed confidence and fresh vigour for the days to come.
Deepawali is the festival of renewing confidence in oneself and among all. It is a festival that inspires universal goodness and prosperity for all beyond caste and creed. Whatever its sectarian contexts, for centuries it has attained the magnitude of a national festival which breathes a strange sense
of belonging to all. Whether the lamp is lit in a temple or chapel, in a hut or palace, before the image of Christ, Mahavira, Buddha or Lakshmi and Ganesh or Kali - it represents essentially a desire for light, an intrinsic determination to combat darkness and the inherent compulsion for freeing oneself from all that is narrow.
Light : The Crux Of Deepawali
Sectarian contexts apart, light imparts to Deepawali universal breadth, unique magnificence and divine dimensions rarely associated with a festival. As light is benevolent and auspicious, light’s birth - its emergence - is by itself a celebration. Seers saw light as both the Supreme Creator and also the Creation. Re-iterating Kabir, when Guru Nanak sang : ‘Eka noor te saba jaga upaya’, that is, the entire universe is born of one light; or when Prophet Mohammad uttered that the universe is nothing but the extension of His ‘noor’ (light) they both saw the Creator as a glow of light. When a living self passes away, the wise say: ‘jyoti mein jyoti samani’, that is, the flame has merged with the Supreme Flame. The Rig-Veda holds Surya, the sun-god, in highest reverence – for unless there is light even the manifest does not manifest. The Upanishadic interpretation of the Rig-Vedic Sukta is far clearer. Emergence of light is also the emergence of cosmos for even if the cosmos existed it would not manifest unless there was light. That is why the tradition re-iterated : ‘Tamsoma jyotirgamaya’ – let the darkness depart and the light emerge. Metaphorically or otherwise, it is by the emergence of light that the factum of Creation has been indicated, not in India but also beyond. The Biblical tradition heralds: ‘Let there be light and the light was there’. Here also the Supreme One desired the emergence and once the light was there, there was the Creation too. Light is God’s verse that he writes on the face of the universe, and hence, whatever is divine is endowed with light.
This light is the endless celebration - for both man and nature. With light is associated love, optimism, delight, festivities and everything that is auspicious, holy or divine. In its intrinsic form light is the attainment of ultimate knowledge and thereby of the supreme bliss, and thereafter there is no darkness and nothing in between the seer and the seen. The light is, thus, the ultimate vision of this world and the world beyond, and so its celebration, a thing of this world as also of the other.
Deepawali : Its Beginning And Initial Forms
Historical evidences reveal that the earliest celebrations that the semi-civilized man organised were held around light and fire, maybe for protection against wild animals that the fire frightened, and the light alerted against emergent dangers. Out of this people (perhaps those from early civilizations) developed their own festivals of light, independent ones discovering the glory of light, such as the Indian festival of Deepawali or those associated with some religious events such as the Christmas and the New Year in the Christian world, or the Shab-i-barat in the Islamic. Whatever the theological contexts attached, the primary thrust of these festivals is the victory of light over darkness.
Deepawali: In New Contexts
By “modern” times, Deepawali was now the most captivating annual event, seen as the epitome of people’s endeavour to fight against darkness, which later widened into a battle against all that was evil, dark and gloomy – the victory of good over evil. As reflects in the entire body of Indian theology (irrespective of this or that sect) some kind of utility aspect – ethical, social, or moral - is found linked with all major religious practices and popular beliefs. After Deepawali gained popularity among various sects, it was also linked with hygiene, strengthened ties (social and within the family), improved living and inspired charity. As per one’s status and means every household was required to repair and put in proper shape his monsoon-worn house and disinfect it with lime-wash. The Brahma Purana acclaimed that lighting lamps on Deepawali is as virtuous as distributing alms equal to one’s body-weight. It cautions that one should not celebrate Deepawali unless the house has been duly cleaned and one wears new, or at least neat and clean bejeweled clothes. Further that it is inauspicious to eat any food unless one shares it with those held in reverence, members of the family and the village, and the household servants.
Deepawali : A Composite Festival
Deepawali celebrations stretch into a group of at least five minor festivals and thus Deepawali is a 5-day festival of composite nature. The first of them is Dhana-Terasa (translated: ’thirteenth, the day of wealth’) that is, two days before Deepawali – which takes place on the fifteenth (Amavasya). Deepawali celebrations are fixed for the Amavasya night of the month of Kartika but this Amavasya is not a mathematically counted day. It is rather the outcome of the planetary position. The Zodiac is divided into twelve parts having twelve Zodiac signs - the cycle of the sun’s movement across them is the basis for determining both Deepawali as well as Holi, another equally popular festival of India. Deepawali occurs on the day when the sun transits from Virgo, the sixth sign, into Libra, the seventh – a planetary position on the Kartika Amavasya. From this Amavasya the later half of the planetary year begins. The planetary position on this day determines the prospects across the year not only of those born under this or that zodiac sign but also of society in general, as well as the entire world. Being linked with the arrival of crops, which equips all with buying capacity, Deepawali has special meaning for traders - accordingly they maintain their account books from Deepawali to Deepawali, often maintaining this periodicity as their calendar.
First Day of Diwali
The first day of Diwali is known as ‘Dhanteras’. People renovate, decorate their houses and workplaces on this day and make traditional ‘Rangoli’ motifs on the entrance, to welcome Goddess Lakshmi. Lamps and candles are lit throughout the night. It is considered auspicious to buy gold and silver on this day. Many people opt for buying new utensils on this day. In Maharashtra, offerings of lightly pounded dry coriander seeds with jaggery are made to the Goddess. Rural people revere their cattle on this day and cows are considered especially auspicious.
Second Day of Diwali
On second day, people take bath before sunrise, anoint themselves with oil and ‘Ubtan’ (scrub made up of gram flour and fragrant powders). Bengalis believe that Goddess Kali killed the demon Raktavija on this day. A general custom followed during the second day of Diwali is to burst crackers. People illuminate their homes with diya, to set the mood for celebrations in the following day.
Third Day of Diwali
The third day is the main day of the Diwali festival. Jains have their own religious significance of the day, because they believe that Lord Mahavir attained ‘Nirvana’ (or Eternal Bliss) on the day. Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the great saint who gave rise to Hindu Renaissance, also left the mortal world on this day. On this day, people wear new clothes and share gifts and sweets with their friends and relatives. Women prepare delicacies and whole house is illuminated with ‘diyas’ and candles. Fireworks and crackers are the kids’ favorites on this day.
Fourth Day of Diwali
On the 4th day is the ‘Govardhan-Puja’ or ‘Annakoot’. In the temples of Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are bathed with milk and adorned with precious clothes and ornaments. Then offerings of a large variety of delicacies are made to them.
Fifth Day of Diwali
The 5th day or the last day of this festival is called ‘ Bhai Duj ‘. On this day, sisters invite their brothers and their family to their homes and treat them with delicacies. In turn, brothers offer them with gifts and sweets.
Deepawali Rituals
Lakshmi is unanimously revered as the presiding deity of Deepawali. In the Deepawali context Lakshmi is the presiding deity of riches, prosperity, fertility and well-being. The image of Ganesh, when accompanied by his consorts Riddhi and Siddhi, has greater auspices. While Ganesh checks negatives, Riddhi and Siddhi operate and produce results. Kali Puja is a festival dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali, celebrated on the new day of the Hindu month Ashwin in Bengal. It coincides with the pan-Indian Lakshmi Puja day of Dewali. While rest of India worships goddess Lakshmi; Bengalis, Oriyas and Assamese adore Kali.
Conclusion
May I suggest Diwali as being a most auspicious time to light a white candle over this five-day period and join our President – and the world - in a universal prayer for peace?
Namaste! Laura
