Diwali - Celebrating the Light

Remembering those old days of Diwali.  We used to have Diwali holidays, I think for almost a month.  But that is a vague memory. Dusserrah and Diwali put together, it was a month-long break. Illumination used to be a major attraction - the streets of Meerut would be all lit up. 

I feel unfortunate that our training did not think of purposeful exposure to those cultural aspects.  What we did was perhaps, going around the streets for a night to see the illumination - that itself I am not very sure; nor do I recall to have relished it. 

There was hardly any celebration in the training house related to Diwali, whereas when we came to the major seminary, this aspect of 'inculturation' was taken into account to a greater extent. Even while staying within a UP village, we hardly had any such celebration, which I consider bad training as far as mission orientation was concerned. 

Diwali or Deepavali is literally the aavali (line or row) of deep (lights). 

The two myths behind are linked to the two most popular deities of the Hindu pantheon, two of the ten incarnations of the sustainer God, Vishnu, viz., Ram and Krishna.  The former, in connection with his glorious return to Ayodhya after the fourteen years of enforced exile and destruction of the evil as represented by Ravan of Lanka; the latter, in commemoration of his victory over the evil power Narakasur. Either way, the welcome was by lighting the lamps all along the streets. Hence the 'deepavali'.  

The rituals surrounding Deepavali spread over five days are interesting to note: 

Day 1 - Dhanteras or Dhantrayodas - a celebration of 'well-being' as linked to 'Lord Dhanwantari' of Ayurveda. He is said to have emerged during the amrt manthan with a pot of amrt (nectar). There is a practice for well-being involving a holy bath around sunset, a veneration of tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) with a diya (earthen lamp), and a prayer to the Lord Yama, to avert (his) unwelcome, untimely interference during Diwali. Dhanteras also has a connection with 'dhan' (prosperity) as symbolised by the goddess Lakshmi, who is venerated on the day.  It is considered to be the auspicious day for the purchase of gold and other precious metals, and household utensils and automobiles. The word is from the combination of 'dhan' and 'teras' - the latter referring to the thirteenth (terahvam) day of the krishna paksh (the dark fortnight) of the month of Kartik - usually falling in the months of either October or November. 

Day 2 - Narak chaturdasi, in celebration of the triumph of Lord Krishna over the ferocious demon Narakasur, who held the wicked practice of abducting the 'gopis'.  The house and premises are kept clean, and fragrant oil and flowers are used to keep the spirits lifted.  There is a practice of traditional rangoli ((design patterns) using rice flour, as a welcome symbol, with a diya kept lit in the rooms and in the backyard throughout the night. 

Day 3 - Diwali recalling the welcome given to Lord Rama on his triumphant return to Ayodhya. Rituals led by the priests, lighted houses and streets, delicious sweets and firecrackers are the components of the celebration. For many, the day is a celebration of 'prosperity' by worshipping Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, on her birthday. Rangoli motifs indicate welcome to Lakshmi.  It is considered auspicious for the traders to open their new account book (chopda pujan).  West Bengal celebrates Maa Kali during the night. 

Day 4 - Govardhan Pujan  This is a celebration of Lord Krishna's protective intervention to save the people of Brndavan from submerging on account of Indra's wrath that took the shape of torrents.  He lifted Mt Govardhan to protect his people.  There is a huge gathering of pilgrims in Mathura during this day.  Wearing new clothes and jewellery, and distributing sweets among friends and relatives form part of the celebration. 

Day 5 - Bhai Dhooj celebrates the brother-sister relationship, after Yama and Yami.  It reminds the devotees of Yama's gladness and promise of blessings on all brothers, who visit their sisters.  It is after the incident of being received heartily by his sister Yami. A very fine sentiment indeed (I notice that Indian traditions have prominently placed days to celebrate ancestors, guru, brother, sister, and husband - but so far, I have not come across any for wife or parents.  Perhaps, I am wrong.)

However, the net effect of this beautiful religious festival in North India is turning to be adharmik, with the environment getting highly polluted on account of the mode of celebrations.  Even in 2022, the day after Diwali showed Delhi topping the list of most polluted capital cities of the world, with a level of air quality considered hazardous, much above 300. With numerous court and government orders proving to be toothless in this regard, it is for the religion to bring back the celebration to its dharmik core, and helping people to celebrate and enjoy without having to violate 'mother earth'.  

In the northern states of India, Diwali marks the onset of the winter season. People get into warm clothes from Diwali. Perhaps the cleanliness drive related to Lakshmi puja also has something to do with the onset of winter; preparing for the colder weather with the house cleansed and sanitised. The next thorough cleaning might happen only with Holi, the official mark of the end of the winter season!

In the southern state of Keralam, Deepavali is not celebrated with great festivities. Generally confined to Hindu families, and felt in the neighbourhood, by the occasional firecrackers in the evening.  These cultural details of Diwali are hardly known to people outside the Hindu fold, that too of Northern India.  I feel,  that living together in the neighbourhood with communities of diverse cultures (faith and festivities), it is important to know such details and appreciate them. 

Festival of Lights beyond Religious Borders: My interest is awakened at the thought of the 'festival of lights', with light being a very prominent symbol in all spiritual pursuits.  The believer, or rather, the seeker is led by a quest for 'enlightenment', which raises him or her above the mundane planes, to move around with the 'freedom' of a child of God! It is interesting to note that it was the Roman tradition of celebration of light that got adapted into the Christian culture as Christmas, the celebration of the birth of God's Christ (anointed) on earth as its light and life. The Greek tradition of celebrating the virgin birth of the popular indulgent god Dionysius marking December 25th as the day, or the Athenian tradition of venerating Kronos around that time, or most likely the Roman festivities around Saturnalia somewhere around December 15th and 23rd, with all sorts of freedom, are said to have been fused into and drastically transformed as a Christian festival celebrating the birth of eternal light on earth - it had less to do with the historical date of the birth of Christ. Christian Catholic traditions have elaborate celebrations of light during the Easter festivities.  This latter is celebrated more as linked to the time of the year when those events actually happened in history. 

Ideally, Christmas celebrations for Christians in India would fit rather well with the culturally fitting festival of lights - where we welcome into our homes and hearts, the Light of lights, who is also the greatest wealth for the believer.  Perhaps, now it is too late for such culturally adapted thinking, for Christmas too has taken the shape of a festival, more to do with festivities and commerce around it - cake, cards, gifts, Christmas tree - and less to do with Christ.  

On a different plane, it is a feast to celebrate the Light.  The Supreme Light leading to 'light within' - enlightenment. It is a call to be people of light; to walk in the light; to be the light. It is to be within human beings, as  'goodness' towards all! Flooding the world with the light of goodness. 

And the feast, with its various celebrations, refers to the multidimensional aspects of being whole, presenting various aspects of fullness through various deities - prosperity, health, cleanliness, knowledge and wisdom, goodness over evil, protection from evil, brotherly bonds. 

O Light of lights, Lead us to that Light!

Om tamasoma jyotirgamaya!

Diwali 2024 Sitapur,   UP. : I was surprised and glad to learn about CM Yogi's initiative to make

Diwali closer to green by introducing green fireworks' instead of the conventional ones in the city of Ayodhya - perhaps, in other places as well.  I was inspired to set a model on the campus. Got our cultural coordinator and the student council chairman to enquire.  The latter does some homework and gets back saying this could be done at an expenditure ranging between 20 to 40k. I felt my hands singed even without venturing to fire a cracker. Perhaps, next time, when the technology becomes more affordable. 

In an assembly held to celebrate Diwali, our BCA students volunteered to present a simple skit to promote a firecracker-free (green) Diwali.  A student spoke about the 'science' behind Diwali - stressing the positivity generated by the warm and pleasing light, and the cleanliness aspect of the festival. Another spoke about 'green diwali'.  As the Principal, I asked them if they could make an effort to make their celebrations as green as possible, as less polluting as possible, especially doing away with fire-crackers. 

But the Management department was the most sportive - their department club came up with the idea of a competition of toran, diya decoration and rangoli - all based on nature-friendliness. And some of the toran models were fabulous. One was made up of leaves and petals entirely  - it was very impressive for the possibility it showed. So, it was used to decorate the office door of the Principal.  The diyas were also decorated or painted using various aspects of environment friendliness - starting minimalism to the extent of R for repurposing being employed for decorating diyas.  The department did not stop at that - they initiated with the students generously consenting to have a sale of the same on the Diwali assembly and both the staff and the students were generous to purchase the entire produce with the decision that the price would be fixed by the creator and all the emoluments from the sales would be used for community outreach/service programmes.

The green agenda was taken further by SHIMT, our management institute organizing a contest 'Once

Upon a Chef' for creating food that does not require fuel for cooking - and almost 40 teams (of max 5) took part in the event, and with the contest over, the entire set was gobbled up by the ravenous crowd (which also included the contestants). I could see only its devastated post-attack state.  The contest fits well with the SDGs, especially Goal No. 2 of Zero Hunger. 

Our NSS unit was mandated to do something related to swacchata, and a few volunteers gathered at Naipalapur chowk, where the rubbish was scattered all around. They selected the Southwest angle of the junction and started sweeping with very weak coconut brooms. When I reached there I realised that this would be a mere 'greenwash', so I proposed that we get at least some spades, and volunteered to bring a couple of them.  One of the volunteers readily jumped onto my bike and we fetched 2 spades and a big strong broom.  The volunteers showed goodwill to do the cleaning work, but this was not something they were used to.  

One of the 'diya vendors' who appeared comfortably settled on the scattered rubbish got into a dialogue with the students.  That led to his getting involved and he smartly piled up the scattered rubbish engaging the spade with ease. Now he approaches us as to who will remove it as he and others had to use the area for their business in the next 4 days.  I requested our NSS coordinator who is very much involved with the welfare section of the municipality to use her influence to get that removed. She was willing to do her bit by getting the volunteers to transfer the rubbish into big bags and dump it in some wayside dumping area. I could not favour that and felt that it was a futile exercise. 

Then emerges our III DC student, who was involved in corrective procedures on account of campus discipline-related issues several times.  He said he lived across and this was his area. I told him that this was his responsibility to show his influence by getting the Panchayat to act and clear the area, never expecting anything to happen.  After an hour I had to pass by the point again, and I was surprised and thrilled to see him leading a bunch of local half-naked kids clearing the rubbish with a 3-wheeler cart to carry the filth away. After another hour he sends me the pictures and video of the process and the cleaned area! Wow!! That was one act meaningfully accomplished for Diwali - a small lesson to the public and a very positive act from a student. I plan to acknowledge him in the assembly next. 

For Dhanteras, our staff were instructed to do our duty of maintaining our premises including the road frontage clean and they did to further contribute to the spirit of Diwali. And they did, before enjoying the unusually long holidays of 3 consecutive days!

Lakshmi puja Oct. 23, 2022

Diwali as Lakshmipuja Oct. 23, 2022

Five Days of Diwali Oct. 23, 2022

Christmas Origins Oct. 24, 2022