HAPPY DEEPAVALI

Little India has been beautifully decorated for Deepavali since a couple weeks. Come Saturday the celebrations will peak and all the roads and lanes will be even more packed than usual.
Diwali is celebrated on the first day of the lunar Kartika month, which comes in the month of October or November.
Diwali, or Deepavali, (also called Tihar and Swanti in Nepal) is a major Indian and Nepalese festival, and a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. Many legends are associated with Diwali. Today it is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs across the globe as the “Festival of Light” or “Celebration of Light” where the lights or lamps signify victory of good over evil within every human being. The festival is also celebrated by Buddhists of Nepal, particularly the Newar Buddhists.
According to one theory Diwali may have originated as a harvest festival, marking the last harvest of the year before winter. In an agrarian society this results in businessmen closing accounts, and beginning a new accounting year. The Goddess Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth in Hinduism) thanked and worshipped on this day and everyone prays for a good and prosperous year ahead. This is the common factor in Diwali celebrations all over the Indian subcontinent.

The festival marks the victory of good over evil, and uplifting of spiritual darkness. Symbolically it marks the homecoming of goodwill and faith after an absence, as suggested by the Ramayana.
On the day of Diwali, many wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks. Some North Indian business communities start their financial year on Diwali and new account books are opened on this day.

Deepavali, The Festival of Lights

Deepavali is a colorful festival celebrated by all Hindus worldwide, which is also known as the festival of lights. This festival usually falls around late October and November. One important practice that the Hindus follow during the festival is to light oil lamps in their homes on Deepavali morning. By lighting the oil lamps, the Hindus are thanking the gods for the happiness, knowledge, peace and wealth that they have received. The Hindus consider Deepavali as one of the most important festivals to celebrate.
The Legend -
An interesting legend is behind this festival. Narakasura, a demon, ruled the kingdom of Pradyoshapuram. Under his rule, the villagers suffered a lot of hardship as the demon tortured the people and kidnapped the women to be imprisoned in his palace. Seeing his wickedness, Lord Khrishna set out to destroy the demon and the day Narakasura died was celebrated as Deepavali, the triumph of good over evil!

Preparations -
At least two to three weeks before the festival preparation for Deepavali usually starts. Hindus will be busy cleaning their houses to get ready for the festival. Some would even renovate their houses. Usually the family will shop for new clothes and for accessories to decorate their homes. Indian shops will be selling festive items like Deepavali greeting cards, carpets, Punjabi suits and flowers.
Celebrations -
The Hindus usually awake early in the morning of Deepavali around 3am and the first ritual will be having an oil bath, which is an important feature of this festival. They wear their new clothes. Most of the ladies would be clad in silk saris or Punjabi suits of various bright shades. Hindus particularly dislike dressing in black on that day, as they consider black an inauspicious color for the festival. An important practice would be to pay their respects to the elderly and most families would go to the temple after having breakfast. The houses would be decorated with oil lamps and people stay home to welcome guests who visit them.
Food -
A wide variety of delicious food will be served. Some of the popular sweets are halwa, burfi and laddu. Hindus love eating spicy food and for non-vegetarians they indulge in favorites like chicken tandoori, prawn sambal and fish head curry. Popular vegetarian dishes arw thosais, idlis and naans.
HAPPY DEEPAVALI