Diwali – The New Year of Hindus


Diwali or Deepavali is not only the festival of lights, but also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. Homes are filled with oil lamps, candles and lights. It is one of the most popular Indian national celebrations as it is believed that the goddess of good luck visits our homes to brighten our luck.

The first day of Diwali is also a New Year of Business.

On the occasion old business accounts and deals are settled and new account books are opened. Special ceremony is performed to worship the books to run their business well in the New Year. This is also the time of year when businessmen visit temples to pray for good fortune in next year. Diwali is very important festival for many Hindus. One of the most important thing done on Diwali is to drive out ‘Alaksmi’, or the goddess of bad luck, poverty and misfortune. In India the woman of the house will sweep the entire house. This is suppose to also sweep out the goddess of bad luck.

The goddess is usually depicted with four hands, representing dharma (righteousness), kama (desires), artha (wealth), and moksha ...

A unique feature of Deepavali is the great array of lights set out by participants to denote the return of light where darkness previously prevailed. This is the perfect time to reinvigorate your own inner joy and happiness as well as invite this abundant positivity and happiness into other areas of your life including: family, finances, business and community.

The flame of a lamp banishes darkness. The simple act of lighting a lamp encourage us toaspire for great heights in life by destroying the negative forces within ourselves. The purifying energies of fire can lead us toward Truth. The sages have therefore acclaimed the lamp of wisdom as the flame that “leads men to higher states”.

the darkness of ignorance is to be dispelled, a person needs a container, oil, wick and a matchbox corresponding to what an “external lamp” needs.

For people, the heart is the container. The mind is the wick. Love is the oil and vairagya (sacrifice) is the matchbox.

When all four of these are united, the Divine flame of the Spirit radiates good fortune upon us all. During Diwali, we are reminded that this Light of Knowledge shines and dispels the darkness of ignorance forever.

Secondly people wear new clothes and exchange gifts, sweets among them. While the story behind Deepavali varies from region to region, the essence is the same – to rejoice in the inner light (Atman) or the underlying reality of all things (Brahman).

The third day of the festival of Diwali is the most important day of Lakshmi-Puja and is devoted to the propitiation of Goddess Lakshmi. The day of Lakshmi -Puja falls on the dark night of Amavasya. Lamps are lit in the evening to welcome the goddess. Lakshmi-Puja consists a combined Puja of five deities – Ganesha (as Vighnaharta), Mahalakshmi (as the goddess of wealth and money), Mahasaraswati (as the goddess of books and learning), Mahakali and Kuber (the treasurer of God)are also worshiped.

Every house entrance is made colorful with lovely "Rangoli" to welcome goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. The Preparations for Diwali begin a week in advance. People decorate their houses, prepare sweets, light their homes with colorful lights, buy clothes and Jewelry. Lighting of lamps in the night is a way of paying tribute to god for good health, wealth, knowledge and peace.

Fireworks are burnt out and also distributed so that everyone enjoys the festival thoroughly.


 “May the divine bless you with Happiness, Success and Great Prosperity”

Here’s the message of this festival of lights, may it keep you enlightened and blessed always –

Asato ma sad gamaya
tamaso ma jyotir gamaya
mri tyor ma amri tam


jayati goel

goel.je@gmail.com

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