The Origins of Diwali

Diwali or Deepavali is one of my favorite Indian holidays. It is typically celebrated over the course of 5 days, and Diwali is not just celebrated by Hindus, but by people of all languages, religions, and communities across the world. For example, in Jainism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual awakening of Mahavira. In Sikhism, it marks the day that Guru Hargobind Ji was freed from imprisonment. However, it is most commonly known as the Festival of Lights. But, how did this wonderful holiday come to be? Well, there are a few myths that we should talk about. You might have heard about a man who goes by the name Rama or Ram. Let’s briefly talk about the Ramayana, a very important Hindu epic. Rama is one of the avatars of the Hindu god, Vishnu. His father is the King of Ayodhya, and he has an extremely loyal brother named Lakshmana or Lakshman. Rama's stepmother was jealous of Rama and wanted him to leave the kingdom so that her son could become the sole heir. Because of a promise made many years ago, the King was forced to send Rama to live in exile for 14 years. Rama was kind and just, so he and his wife decided to obey his stepmother’s wishes, but to his surprise, his brother, Lakshmana also decided to accompany him. When they arrived in the forest, Rama got distracted by a golden deer, and Sita got abducted by a jealous demon named Ravana, who was King of Lanka (present-day Sri Lanka). The entire epic tells the tale of how Rama and Lakshmana get the help of many others to rescue Rama’s beloved wife. Now, how does this have anything to do with Diwali? Well, Diwali is known to celebrate the return of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita by lighting their way through the dark sky because they return on the day of the new moon. Another beautiful tale about the origins of Diwali is the story of Krishna, another avatar of Vishnu. Narkasura was a cruel demon who ruled the Kingdom of Pradyoshapuram. He kidnapped several lovely women (16,000 to be exact!) and forced them to stay in his manor. In order to taunt the gods, Narkasura even stole the earrings of Aditi, the Mother of all Gods. It is said that he also forbade people from lighting their houses with lamps. The furious gods begged Krishna to help them put an end to the demon’s machinations. Narkasura was cursed that he would be killed by his mother. Krishna knew that his wife, Satyabhama, was a reincarnation of Narkasura's mother, so he asked her to drive his chariot as he fought the demon. Satyabhama used the demon’s confusion as an opportunity; she grabbed Krishna's bow and arrow and mightily defeated Narakasura. The light of Diwali shows the triumph of good over evil in this take of the legend. There are many other reasons why people celebrate Diwali. Stories range from the captivity of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, to the return of the Pandavas (the Mahabharata is an epic for another time). There is just so much culture and depth in this holiday, that it is nearly impossible to cover it all. So, I will leave you with this note: stay safe and have fun during the holidays! If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact me.

Kind Regards,

Aditi Devarakonda