A Hindu Perspective by Balliram Chadee. M.Hin.

 www.thehanumanmission.com. bally@thehanumanmission.com

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Divali or Deepaavali ….. The significance and Traditions

Divali or Deepaavali is popularly referred to as the festival of lights and celebrated with pomp and vigor by millions of Hindus, on the Amavasya night or fifteenth night of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Kaartik, corresponding to the October / November timeframe. Hindus around the world, based on their own geographic areas of ancestry, celebrate Divali with some uniqueness and specialty, as per individual practices and customs over the years in their particular areas. It is celebrated as the main day of worship, reverence and dedication for spiritual wealth, health and success. The occasion is seen as being special for various reasons and many unique activities are performed, staring from early in the morning and culminating at 6:00pm with the lighting of the deya (earthen vessel) filled with oil or ghee (clarified butter) and lighted at the end of a cotton wick. Most people tradionally practiced the lighting of five, seven or nine deyas, as a personal commitment and obligation every divali night, which stays lit inside the puja room (shrine area) or house.

Divali comes after the period of Nav Raatri and is followed by the celebration of Kaartik Snaan (festival where puja is conducted at the beach). There are two main views for celebrating Divali, commonly held as the basis for the custom and tradition. The first opinion or view is the return of Lord Rama to the holy city of Ayodhya, after the completion of his fourteen years of exile in the forest, an activity he had to honor for his father, King Dashratha who had made a promise which resulted in Shree Rama being put through this endeavor. It is believed that as he was returning home, the news reached the citizens in the holy city who were so excited and relieved to know of his return, that many lit a deya as a pathway of light to fill the darkness felt during his absence from the palace and holy city. The second view is held that during the churning of the milky ocean (same episode as Lord Shiva consuming the halahal poison), Mother Lakshmee appeared from the ocean in the middle of the Lotus flower, holding a lighted deya in her hand and brought light to the world. It has since been accepted that through this divine intervention, she brought light to remove darkness, good to remove evil and granted long life and immortality to avoid death.

The objective of Divali irregardless of the spiritual or religious belief(s) held, is to inculcate the philosophy, virtues and values of ethics, morality, integrity and sincerity in our minds, hearts and conduct. It has been said and proven for centuries that there are no rewards or benefits to be received by people who under the disguise of religion hurt others, promote wrongdoing, condone corruption and indulge in acts that are considered adharmic. No amount of fast or sacrifices for being “good” on Divali day, would yield any results or benefits, if the intentions of the person is not sincere and honest. Divali is a time to reflect, to think of others, assess our own lives, revisit our purpose, determine our contributions to society and most of all to change our lives. It is a time to surrender at the feet of the powerful Mother Lakshmee and ask with sincerity for protection, health, wealth and happiness. It is also a time to express our gratitude for previous successes bestowed. Most importantly it is a time to thank god for being safe, protected and healthy. Let us on of this Divali day ask for Good over Evil, Light over darkness and Immortality over death. Let us pray for Canada and the world to be a safer and more peaceful place and let us give ourselves the opportunity to change one attribute of our conduct and life, so we may aspire to become a better person.

Happy Divali to all: from The Hanuman Mission of Ajax and Hotshots Magazine. May Lakshmee Maa shower her choicest blessings on each of you for health, strength and prosperity now and always.