A healthy, wealthy and happy Diwali

Celebrating the Festival of Lights

Satvika Nitya / Contributor / The USD Vista

Diwali is one of the biggest festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs around the world. With a wide spectrum of jovial traditions, this festival is enjoyed in different ways by millions across various countries.

Diwali occurs during the lunisolar month of Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, this falls between late October and November. The festival lasts five days, with the third day being the main Diwali celebration. 

Though the stories and myths that serve as the reason for honoring this festival differ from region to region, the basic premise remains the same — Diwali commemorates the triumph of good over evil. This year, the auspicious day falls on Oct. 24.

The biggest tradition followed by those who celebrate the festival is the lighting of diyas, small earthen lamps filled with oil, during Diwali night. The warm and bright flame emitted from the diya is a sign of purity, prosperity and virtue. Apart from diyas, any light source ranging from fairy lights to lanterns are lit during nighttime to impart the emotion of light taking over darkness, good taking over evil. Diwali is thus famously called the “Festival of Lights.”

Among Hindus, the most widespread custom is to invite Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, into their home by lighting diyas. In South India, Diwali is celebrated by Hindus to mark Lord Krishna’s defeat over the demon Narakasura, while in Bengal it is celebrated to worship the goddess of death, Kali. 

The more popular mythological story originates in North India, where Diwali is celebrated to honor the homecoming of the deity Rama to the city of Ayodhya after defeating the ten-headed king of demons, Ravana. The streets of Ayodhya were overwhelmed with diyas and chants of people to celebrate Lord Rama’s win.

USD sophomore and Indian-American Priyal Gupta shared their experiences about Diwali.

“I think it’s a time when I feel most in touch with my culture and family,” Gupta said. “It’s such a happy festival where you get to dress up in new clothes, have great food, receive gifts and just have a lot of fun.”

The story of Rama is prominent in celebrations of Diwali in Sri Lanka. The island country located to the south of India was known to be the land where the demon king Ravana resided and was killed. Hindus in Sri Lanka also observe Diwali for this triumph, with similar customs and traditions. 

The other four days of the festival are filled with their own festivities and significance. The first day is dedicated to cleaning homes and purchasing small items of gold. The second day is for praying to the souls of ancestors. The fourth day is the beginning of the Hindu New Year, when merchants usually perform religious ceremonies and open new accounts. The fifth and last day, called Bhai Dooj, celebrates the bond between sisters and brothers — where sisters pray for their brothers’ well-being and success.

Diwali takes on a slightly different form among Hindus in Nepal and is known as Tihar. Tihar is celebrated because of the God of Death, Yama, and his sister, Yamuna. Popular renditions of the story state that in an attempt to see her brother after being away from him for a long time, Yamuna sends a crow, dog and cow to Yama. Ultimately, she visits him herself and worships him with flowers and a colorful tika, a mark made on the forehead using a powder. 

The five days of Tihar are celebrated to honor this story. The first day is dedicated to worshiping crows, the second day to worship dogs, the third day to worship cows and the fourth day is dedicated to worshiping ox. The Newar community of Nepal spends the night of the fourth day worshiping the self in order to purify the body. The last day known as Bhai Tikka is dedicated to worshiping brothers. The sisters apply a tika of seven colors on their brother’s foreheads and pray to Yama to ensure them a long life full of prosperity. 

USD first-year and international student from Nepal, Shreyans Jyoti reminisces over Tihar celebrations back home.

“Making rangolis, bursting firecrackers, and lighting diyas is always so much fun,” Jyoti said. “Kids go from house to house singing ‘Deusi Bhailo’ and people give these kids free food or money. These days, they bring speakers, dress up and perform dances too.”

Apart from Hindus, Diwali is also celebrated by Jains and Sikhs around the world. For the Jain community, the festival commemorates the enlightenment and liberation of their last supreme preacher, Mahavir. 

The lighting of diyas represents the light of Mahavir’s holy knowledge and some Jains fast to remember the work done by him. For Sikhs, Diwali is celebrated to honor Guru Hargobind’s return to Amritsar after captivity in Gwalior, an echo of Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya. Residents of Amritsar lit lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion. 

Some Buddhists also take part in Diwali to recognize the day Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism in the third century B.C.E.

USD graduate student Deepti Thakoor brought the spirit of Diwali to USD last year by conducting an event to celebrate the festival. 

“I was kind of homesick and Diwali is an important and grand festival back home in Mauritius,” Thakoor said. “I didn’t want to just sit in my room, and I know there were others who felt that way. I wanted to bring together a community and family for Diwali. I wanted to share the joy of being different.”

With vibrant lighting and decorations, a variety of food and sweets, as well as the activity of writing cards to send well wishes to others, USD’s first Diwali celebration included around fifty students from various backgrounds.

Thakoor continues her efforts toward bringing the Festival of Lights to USD. With help from Grad Life, the Multicultural Commons and University Ministry, her endeavor to create a community is coming to life through the second Diwali celebration at USD, which will be held on Oct. 24 at the UFMC Commons.