Significance of festival traditions

Dear One and All,

Let’s all of us wish each other Shubho Bijoya which marks the last day of Durga Puja.

“Auspicious Victory". Shubho Bijoya is celebrated from the last day of Durga Puja,

Victory is a celebration of good and end of evil era. Shubho Bijoya is not just
evil. The term Bijoya , literally means Victory and Shubho Bijoya means "The
Auspicious Victory". Shubo Bijoya is celebrated from the last day of Durga Puja

Do we all know the significance of our festivals, if so well and good or otherwise it is best,

we get to learn about significance and know exactly what we are celebrating, and just in case friends

are having any discussion on the traditions, we don’t look and feel fools. So thought just to pen

down a few points before we celebrate and let us know what are the significance of these

festivals are all about.

Dhanteras -  Marks the birth of Goddess Lakshmi

The first day of Diwali is celebrated as Dhanteras. Before Dhanteras, the houses and all commercial places are cleaned and decorated. Rangoli (Colourful patterns on floor) is made inside and on entrance of homes, shops, offices etc. Since this day marks the birth of Goddess Laksmi, buying household goods, utensils, jewellery or other items that symbolizes Lakshmi is considered auspicious by people. People lit diyas to welcome goddess Lakshmi and at many places the diyas are kept burning all night long. Dhanteras is a major shopping day for Indian people. Markets are filled with special arrangements for Dhanteras. Buying gold and silver is considered very auspicious and this is why jewellery shops are flooded with new designs, attractive offers and special silver coins with Ganesha and Lakshmi embedded in them.

Finally of course, the festival of Diwali which is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs

and Jains all over the Globe for a variety of reasons, although the main theme

which runs throughout is the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.

One of the most significant festivals in Indian culture, Diwali, the festival of lights, sees millions attend firework displays, prayers and celebratory events

To celebrate, houses are decorated with candles and colourful lights and huge firework displays are held while families feast and share gifts.

What is Diwali?

Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. The festival, which coincides with the Hindu New Year, celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. While each faith has its own reason to celebrate the festival, one of the most popular stories told is the legend of Lord Rama and his wife Sita returning to their kingdom in northern India from exile after defeating the demon king Ravanna in the 15th century BC.

The festival is marked by large firework displays, to remember the celebrations which, according to the legend, took place upon Rama's return as locals set off their own version of fireworks. Those celebrating the festival also light traditional earthen diyas (candles) and decorate their houses with colourful rangoli artworks- patterns created on the floor using coloured rice or powder. During Diwali, families and friends share sweets and gifts and there is also a strong belief in giving food and goods to those in need. It is also traditional for homes to be cleaned and new clothes to be worn at the time of the festival.

What is eaten during Diwali?

The food most closely associated with the festival is Indian sweets, which come in a range of colours and flavours. The celebration however features various rich savoury and sweet dishes, and while eating out is popular, families will mostly prepare food at home for when guests arrive to exchange gifts and watch fireworks. Unlike the traditional roast turkey at Christmas, each family celebrating Diwali will more than likely have its own favourite meal for the festival, and the food will most often play a central theme to the celebrations.

We all know that, festival means new dresses, different type of foods, guests and much more. In Indian culture girls love to wear traditional style of dresses.

To end it all Diwali a festival of lights.  Come lets forget our differences and wish each other a Happy Diwali to one and all.

Parsan Narang

15th October 2016