Lore, Legend and Symbolism of Diwali

By:- Vivek Koul

Diwali or Deepavali is the “festival of lights”& it signifies the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. It is a festival when the whole of India transcends into a land of myriad lamps. This festival is one of the major festival of Hindus, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions. Diwali is not just about external celebration; it's an opportunity to light the inner lamp, rekindle one's energy, and break free from the physical and mental stagnation that often accompanies winter. This is the festival which always comes in the month of Kartika as per the lunar cycles. The 13th day of the Kartika month is this festival of Diwali. Traditionally, the science behind this is that on this day everybody is supposed to worship Dhanavantri – the deity dedicated to one's health and well being. Today, the word Dhanavantri has almost becomes synonymous with the doctor. The deity Dhanavantri is supposed to be the source of Ayurveda – the science of long and healthy lives. But due to certain beliefs, someone cuts Dhanavantri and Trayodashi and made it “Dhantera”. So what was about health became wealth. After that everybody thinks about deepawali is about money. Scientifically, this festival is about health because for those of us who lives in the northern hemisphere, certain things change from this day onwards, from Trayodashi of kartik masa. In a way there is slowdown of life. So for the winter months, what we should do with for ourselves, at what time we should wake up, what should we eat, how our food habits should change, for all this God created a science as to how one should behave to pass through winter months without getting sick or depressed and without losing the sense of balance and purpose of life. For this, there was an entire science, lighting of lamps and bursting of crackers was one of those things, so that we don't slip into a slowdown. Now because the northern hemisphere, its relationship with the sun has changed and we are looking away from the sun. So there is a slowdown from this month, the 13th day of this month which is called as Karthika Trayodashi. So to make up with this, there are many things being done from this month onwards. Now the significance of this festival has largely been ignored but still people are singing a bit and bursting crackers a bit. It is time to bring this back especially in colder weathers. This would wonderful if some of these things are revived because diwali is not a religious festival. It has got something to do with our geographical location on the planet. Because we are in the northern hemisphere and these changes are happening to us, to the bodies, to the planets, to the animals and everything it is happening. We see everything slows down and mentally if we slowdown within ourselves, we will become little dim. And physically if we slowdown we will become susceptible to various other ailments. We will not be susceptible if our body is vibrant and alive. This is why the whole thing about Dhanavantri – the science of well being and health, that it must be kept alive.  Historically, it marks the day when Krishna was supposed to have slain Narakasura. Narakasura was not his original name, but he gave everyone hell, so they called him Narakasura. Narak means hell – one who is causing hell to everyone is a Narakasura. When this “causing of hell” was brought to an end by Krishna, people celebrated by lighting lamps in every house. The Narakasura event supposedly happened much later, but the culture and tradition of lighting lamps around this time goes back twelve to fifteen thousand years. People realized that life hits a point of inertia at this time of the year. The idea is that if we ourselves are not living like a cracker, fully alive and on, at least crackers around us could wake us up a little bit. That is why on Naraka Chaturdashi, from around four o'clock in the morning, all over the country, crackers are burst, so everyone wakes up, comes alive. And the first ray of the sun falls on us and we will have positive energy. On Diwali, we will see every town, city and village is lit up with thousands of lamps everywhere. But the celebration is not just about lighting lamps outside – an inner light has to come. Light means clarity. Without clarity, every other quality that one possess will only become a detriment, not a gift, because confidence without clarity is a disaster. And today, too much action in the world is performed without clarity. According to Ramayana, Diwali commemorates the return of Ram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the eldest son of King Dasharath of Ayodhya, from his 14-year exile with Sita and Lakshman after killing the Ravan, a demon king. The people of Ayodhya illuminated the kingdom with earthen diyas (oil lamps) and fireworks to celebration of the return of their king. The legend of Rama says, Lord Rama was the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He was a great warrior King. His father Dashratha, the King of Ayodhya sent him to exile along with his wife Sita and his younger brother Lakshman, on his wife's insistence. After 14 years of exile, in which he put an end to the demon Ravana. Lord Rama returned to his Kingdom Ayodhya. According to Diwali legends in Ayodhya, the people welcomed them by lighting rows of clay lamps. Twinkling oil lamps or diyas were there in every home and firework were there too. Great celebrations were held and everyone was happy for Rama to be the King of Ayodhya. This celebration took place on the night of the new moon of Ashwin (October-November). The tradition and the timing continued to be followed even these days. Even today Diwali celebration means – happiness, fireworks and sweets.