By: Riya Gupta Hi everyone! I hope you had a fun Halloween filled with lots of tricks and treats! Now that Halloween has passed and winter is starting to settle in, it’s time for a new seasonal topic! The day after tomorrow, the five day Hindu event of Diwali will begin! What is Diwali you ask? Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Light which celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It derives from the words ‘deepa’ which means ‘clay lamps,’ and ‘avali’ which means ‘row.’ So, Diwali means ‘a row of clay lamps’ (diyas). There are many stories as to how Diwali began, but the most famous one is the mythological epic Ramayana, by Valmiki. As the story goes, Rama and his three younger brothers: Lakshmun, Bharat, and Shatrughan, grew up as the princes of Panchala with full expectations that Rama would one day become king. Dashrath, the then-current king of Panchala, had three wives. The oldest’s was Rama’s mother, the middle wife's son was Lakshmun, and the youngest was the mother of Bharat and Shatrughan. The youngest wife, Kaikeyi, who wanted the throne for her younger sons, forced Dashrath to exile Rama and his wife Sita for fourteen years. So Rama, Sita, and Lakshmum were outlawed from Panchala, and lived in a nearby forest. Much happened in those fourteen years, but the most important event was Sita’s abduction by the demon Ravana, King of Lanka. Rama and Lakshmun allied with Hanuman, the god of the monkeys, and his army to fight against Ravana. This became one of the most important fights in Hindu Mythology, and Rama won the war. By the end of the war, the fourteen years of exile were also over, and the trio came home to a kingdom of people very happy to see their return. Citizens lit up their homes and streets with diyas to welcome them. And to Kaikeyi’s dismay, Bharat, who was now king, happily handed the rulership back to Rama. This story shows that if you are a good person, then no matter how many obstacles you face, you will be able to conquer the adversities.
There are many ways to celebrate Diwali! Diwali involves more than just lights and legends; it is an opportunity to celebrate love and have fun with loved ones and friends! It is a time to exchange gifts, light fireworks and sparklers, and host delicious dinners! Typically, on this day, people wear new clothes, and clean their houses for good luck. You can get mehendi, which are decorations on your hands made of henna plants. Decorate the floor right outside your house door with rangoli - designs made of colorful sand - and place diyas or candles around and outside your house. I hope you learned something interesting about this popular Indian holiday! Try some of the ideas you learned about to celebrate it! Sources:
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