A festival of lights
DEEPWALI, Deepavali, or Diwali is the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivals.
It is the festival of lights: deep means "light" and avali "a row" to become "a row of lights."
Diwali is marked by four days of celebration, which literally illuminates the country with its brilliance and dazzles people with its joy. The Diwali festival occurs in late October or early November. It falls on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Kartik, so it varies every year.
Each of the four days in the festival of Diwali is marked with a different tradition.
What remains constant is the celebration of life, its enjoyment, and a sense of goodness. The significance of lights and firecrackers
All of the simple rituals of Diwali have significance and a story behind them.
Homes are illuminated with lights, and firecrackers fill the skies as an expression of respect to the heavens for the attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace, and prosperity.
The spiritual significance of Diwali
Beyond the lights, gambling, and fun, Diwali is also a time to reflect on life and make changes for the upcoming year. With that, there are a number of customs that revelers hold dear each year.
Give and forgive — it is common practice that people forget and forgive the wrongs done by others during Diwali. There is an air of freedom, festivity, and friendliness everywhere.
Unite and unify — Diwali is a unifying event, and it can soften even the hardest of hearts. It is a time when people mingle about in joy and embrace one another.
Those with keen inner spiritual ears will clearly hear the voice of the sages, "O children of God unite, and love all."
The vibrations produced by the greetings of love, which fill the atmosphere, are powerful.
When the heart has considerably hardened, only a continuous celebration of Deepavali can rekindle the urgent need of turning away from the ruinous path of hatred. Prosper and progress- people buy new clothes for the family. Employers, too, purchase new clothes for their employees.
Homes are cleaned and decorated by day and illuminated by night with earthen oil lamps. This festival instills charity in the hearts of people, who perform good deeds. On this day, they feed the poor on an incredible scale.
Illuminate your inner self- the lights of Diwali also signify a time of inner illumination. Hindus believe that the light of lights is the one that steadily shines in the chamber of the heart.
Sitting quietly and fixing the mind on this supreme light illuminates the soul. It is an opportunity to cultivate and enjoy eternal bliss.