It’s that time of the year again as festive mode is very much on.
With homes glowing a little brighter, hopes are alive that Diwali celebrations will bring plenty of light, laughter …and more sweets than you can count. Millions across the wold are set to celebrate the Hindu festival of lights, illuminating homes, temples, offices and streets with oil lamps and colourful lights to symbolise the triumph of light over darkness.
The festival falls on the darkest night of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik, when the moon is not visible in the sky. Although traditions vary worldwide, the festival is widely marked by prayers, family gatherings, the exchange of sweets and the lighting of firecrackers.
The Diwali festival celebrates the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after his victory over Ravan, the main antagonist in the Hindu epic Ramayana, and symbolises the triumph of good over evil. In the days leading up to the festival, families clean and decorate their homes with flowers, colourful lights and traditional oil lamps known as diyas.
The celebrations also bring families and friends together for prayers, elaborate feasts and the exchange of gifts, and lots of traditional Indian sweets. Colourful patterns known as rangoli are created at entrances to homes, while markets bustle with shoppers buying festive essentials beneath brightly lit decorations.
The festival is also celebrated by Sikhs, who mark Bandi Chhor Divas, or Prisoner Release Day, commemorating the release of their sixth guru, Guru Hargobind, from imprisonment at Gwalior Fort in the early 17th Century and Jains along with other important religious observances. For Jains, Diwali marks the attainment of moksha, or liberation from the cycle of rebirth, by Lord Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara, or spiritual teacher, of the current era.
With Indian communities spread across the world, Diwali is celebrated internationally, with families and friends coming together for festive gatherings and exchanging gifts. So, whilst sharing love, joy and plenty of fun with family and friends, wishes of good will go out to all loved ones during this very special time of the year.
Have a happy, safe, and joyful Diwali!
