From darkness into light, from ignorance to knowledge, from unhappiness into bliss, this, indeed, is the true and deep message that the festival of Diwali brings every year with its joyous celebrations.
The festival of Diwali is the most celebrated and much awaited festival that inspires people to believe in the power of good. Diwali is heralded as one of the most significant festivals of Hindus and is celebrated across India and throughout the world.
Hindus in the North mainly celebrate this festival to commemorate the legend of Lord Rama's return to the Kingdom of Ayodhya after an exile of 14 years while in the South, it is celebrated to mark the vanquishment of a demon named Narakasura at the hands of Lord Krishna.
However, the festival of lights holds great significance in other religions as well, which include Sikhism and Jainism, though for different reasons. This article explores the deep rooted significance of Diwali in context of various faiths and belief systems.
The festival of lights, Diwali is the harbinger to hope and inspires one and all to take initiative and light a candle rather than to curse the darkness.
Diwali is not just about outer illumination, but it promotes the awareness of the inner light that is the core of every human being. The spirituality is the true essence of Hinduism and it prophesizes that a person is not just a body or a mind but something beyond it - a pure, powerful and eternal source of energy, called the Atman.
Diwali is the celebration of the realization of this inner light, which has the power to show one the path of righteousness even at the darkest of the times.
The awakening to one's true self “Atman” introduces one to immense peace, universal compassion, love, and awareness of oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This is a state of true happiness that Diwali commemorates, the stories and legends about this festival may change from region to region but this underlying essence remains the same.
Another profound symbolism of Diwali is in lighting firecrackers. In life, you often become like a firecracker, waiting to explode with your pent-up emotions, frustration and anger.
When you keep suppressing your emotions, cravings and aversions are bound to reach a point where they explode. Bursting crackers is a psychological exercise from ancient times to release bottled-up emotions.
When you see an explosion outside, you feel similar sensations within as well. Along with the explosion, there is a lot of light as well. When you let go of these suppressed emotions, the light of knowledge dawns.
Baldev Sharma
Rayners Lane, Harrow
