FestiVaL of lights...From Darkness Unto Light...!!!! !
Deepawali or Diwali is certainly the biggest an the brightest of all Hindu
festivals. It's the festival of lights (deep = light and avali = a row i.e., a
row of lights) that's marked by four days of celebration, which literally
illumines the country with its brilliance, and dazzles all with its joy. Each
of the four days in the festival of Diwali is separated by a different
tradition, but what remains true and constant is the celebration of life, its
enjoyment and goodness.
Historically, the origin of Diwali can be traced back to ancient India, when it
was probably an important harvest festival. However, there are various legends
pointing to the origin of Diwali. Some believe it to be the celebration of the
marriage of Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. Whereas in Bengal the festival is
dedicated to the worship of Mother Kali, the dark goddess of strength. Lord
Ganesha, the elephant-headed God, the symbol of auspiciousness and wisdom, is
also worshipped in most Hindu homes on this day. In Jainism, Deepawali has an
added significance to the great event of Lord Mahavira attaining the eternal
bliss of nirvana. Diwali also commemorates the return of Lord Rama along with
Sita and Lakshman from his fourteen year long exile and vanquishing the
demon-king Ravana. In joyous celebration of the return of their king, the
people of Ayodhya, the Capital of Rama, illuminated the kingdom with earthen
diyas (oil lamps) and burst crackers.
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The Significance of Lights & Firecrackers
All the simple rituals of Diwali have a significance and a story to tell. The
illumination of homes with lights and the skies with firecrackers is an
expression of obeisance to the heavens for the attainment of health, wealth,
knowledge, peace and prosperity. According to one belief, the sound of
fire-crackers are an indication of the joy of the people living on earth,
making the gods aware of their plentiful state. Still another possible reason
has a more scientific basis: the fumes produced by the crackers kill a lot of
insects and mosquitoes, found in plenty after the rains
>From Darkness Unto Light...
In each legend, myth and story of Deepawali lies the significance of the
victory of good over evil; and it is with each Deepawali and the lights that
illuminate our homes and hearts, that this simple truth finds new reason and
hope. From darkness unto light — the light that empowers us to commit ourselves
to good deeds, that which brings us closer to divinity. During Diwali, lights
illuminate every corner of India and the scent of incense sticks hangs in the
air, mingled with the sounds of fire-crackers, joy, togetherness and hope.
Diwali is celebrated around the globe. Outside India, it is more than a Hindu
festival, it's a celebration of South-Asian identities. If you are away from
the sights and sounds of Diwali, light a diya, sit quietly, shut your eyes,
withdraw the senses, concentrate on this supreme light and illuminate the soul.
Here is the text of the hymn sung during Diwali in honor of Goddess Lakshmi.
Jai lakshmi maataa, Maiyaa jaya lakshmi maataa
Tumako nishadina dhyaavata, Hara vishnu vidhaataa
Brahmaanii, rudraanii, kamalaa, Tuuhii hai jaga maataa
Suurya chandramaa dhyaavata, Naarada rishi gaataa
Durgaa ruupa nirantara, Sukha sampati daataa
Jo koi tumako dhyaavata, Riddhi siddhi dhana paataa
Tuuhii hai paataala basantee, Tuuhii shubha daataa
Karma prabhaava prakaashak, Jaganidhi ke traataa
Jisa ghara mein tuma rahatii, Saba sadaguna aataa
Kara na sake soyee kara le, Mana nahin ghabaraataa
Tuma bina yagya na hove, Vastra na koii paataa
Khaana paana kaa vaibhava, Saba tumase hii aataa
Shubha guna mandira sundara, Ksheerodadhi jaataa
Ratana chaturdasha tuma hii, Koii nahiin paataa
Aartii lakshmii jii kii, Jo koii nara gaataa
Ura aananda umanga ati, Paapa utara jaataa
10 Reasons to Celebrate Diwali
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1.Goddess Lakshmi’s Birthday: The Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi incarnated on the
new moon day (amaavasyaa) of the Kartik month during the churning of the ocean
(samudra-manthan) , hence the association of Diwali with Lakshmi.
2. Vishnu Rescued Lakshmi:On this very day (Diwali day), Lord Vishnu in his
fifth incarnation as Vaman-avtaara rescued Lakshmi from the prison of King Bali
and this is another reason of worshipping Ma Larkshmi on Diwali.
3. Krishna Killed Narakaasur: On the day preceding Diwali, Lord Krishna killed
the demon king Narakaasur and rescued 16,000 women from his captivity. The
celebration of this freedom went on for two days including the Diwali day as a
victory festival.
4. The Return of the Pandavas: According to the great epic ‘Mahabharata’, it
was ‘Kartik Amavashya’ when the Pandavas appeared from their 12 years of
banishment as a result of their defeat in the hands of the Kauravas at the game
of dice (gambling). The subjects who loved the Pandavas celebrated the day by
lighting the earthen lamps.
5. The Victory of Rama: According to the epic ‘Ramayana’, it was the new moon
day of Kartik when Lord Ram, Ma Sita and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya after
vanquishing Ravana and conquering Lanka. The citizens of Ayodhya decorated the
entire city with the earthen lamps and illuminated it like never before.
6. Coronation of Vikramaditya:One of the greatest Hindu King Vikramaditya was
coroneted on the Diwali day, hence Diwali became a historical event as well.
7. Special Day for the Arya Samaj: It was the new moon day of Kartik (Diwali
day) when Maharshi Dayananda, one of the greatest reformers of Hinduism and the
founder of Arya Samaj attained his nirvana.
8. Special Day for the Jains: Mahavir Tirthankar, considered to be the founder
of modern Jainism also attained his nirvana on Diwali day.
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9. Special Day for the Sikhs: The third Sikh Guru Amar Das institutionalized
Diwali as a Red-Letter Day when all Sikhs would gather to receive the Gurus
blessings. In 1577, the foundation stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar was
laid on Diwali. In 1619, the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind, who was held by the
Mughal Emperor Jahengir, was released from the Gwalior fort along with 52
kings.
YOUR SMILE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND._._._ .MAKE IT SOME ONE ELSE'S TOO !
BE HAPPY,IT'S ONE WAY OF BEING WISE,
With Best Regards
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CONSULTANTS PRIVATE LIMITED
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FestiVaL of lights...From Darkness Unto Light...!!!!!
Shenoy Investment & Fin. Cons. Pvt. Ltd Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:16:26 -0700
