Diwali, signifies as the festival of lights, which celebrates the
abundance of autumn harvest and is dedicated to various gods and
goddesses. The festival also marks an important date in the Hindu
calendar, as according to legends the kingdom of Ayodhya celebrated the
coming of Lord Rama after a long exile of fourteen years. The festival
celebrates the coming of Lord Rama. The tradition of lighting diyas and
candles dates back to history when the people of Avadha lighted diyas
through out the kingdom to show way to their beloved Prince Ram, wife
Sita and brothers. It is celebrated as the victory of light over
darkness and good over evil. Diwali also celebrates the power of the
three goddesses, Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati. Dhanteras is dedicated to
Lakshmi, whose blessings are essential for a prosperous, fruitful and
peaceful life. Kali-Chudash (the day before Diwali) is dedicated to
Goddess Kali whose blessing gives us the strength to maintain the wealth
we have. Strength, physical, mental and spiritual, is essential for all
of us to lead a happy life. Diwali itself is dedicated to goddess
Saraswati. Knowledge is the ultimate wealth, for it cannot be stolen
from you; it is also the ultimate strength, for it often defeats brute
force.
There are various legends associated with the festival of Diwali. Some
of the famous legends are as follows:
According to the legends Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth, was incarnated on
the new moon day (amaavasyaa) of the Kartik month during the churning of
the ocean (samudra-manthan), hence the association of Diwali with
Lakshmi. From that day she is worshipped as the symbol of wealth and
prosperity. It is also said that on this very day Lord Vishnu rescued
Goddess Lakshmi from the prison of Demon king bali and for that reason
Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped on the day of Diwali. According to another
legend Lord Krishna Killed the demon king Narakaasur on the day
preceding Diwali, and rescued women from his captivity. The celebration
of this victory of good over evil and celebration of freedom went on for
two days including the Diwali day. According to the great epic
'Mahabharata', it was 'Kartik Amavashya' when the Pandavas returned
after twelve years of banishment. The people of their kingdom who loved
the Pandavas celebrated the day by lighting the earthen lamps and by
welcoming them. The celebration of Diwali is also associated with the
victory of Lord Rama over Ravana and returning back to Ayodhya his
hometown. The people of Ayodhya decorated the entire city with the
earthen lamps and illuminated it to welcome their loving prince his wife
and brother.
