Diwali stands as India’s most significant annual festival, holding profound importance particularly for Hindus. However, its joyous spirit transcends religious boundaries, embraced by over a billion people across faiths in India and its diaspora. This five-day celebration is marked by vibrant communal gatherings, spectacular fireworks, lavish feasts, and heartfelt prayers.
The Core Reason: Triumph Over Darkness
The essence of why Diwali is celebrated lies in its symbolic representation of light’s victory over darkness, and knowledge prevailing over ignorance. The very name “Diwali” originates from the Sanskrit word “Deepavali,” translating to “a row of lights.” Across the globe, celebrants illuminate their homes with rows of traditional clay oil lamps, symbolizing this profound triumph. This act of lighting lamps isn’t merely decorative; it’s a powerful declaration of hope and the enduring human spirit’s ability to overcome adversity.
Diverse Stories, United Theme: Why Different Religions Celebrate Diwali
While Diwali is deeply rooted in Hinduism, its universal message of good conquering evil resonates with other faiths, leading to its observance by Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists. The narratives behind Diwali celebrations differ across religions and regions, yet they converge on this central theme of virtue overcoming vice.
Hindu Stories: Rama and Krishna
In southern India, the celebration often centers around Lord Krishna’s defeat of the demon Naraka. Naraka, according to legend, had terrorized his subjects and imprisoned numerous women. Krishna’s victory is celebrated as liberation from fear and oppression, a triumph of divine righteousness over demonic cruelty.
Northern India, however, primarily celebrates Diwali as the homecoming of Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, after their 14-year exile. Rama’s return to Ayodhya symbolizes the restoration of dharma (righteousness) and the establishment of an ideal kingdom after a long period of hardship and separation. The lighting of lamps welcomes Rama back and signifies the dispelling of the darkness of exile and injustice.
Jain Story: Nirvana of Mahavira
For Jains, Diwali marks the nirvana of Lord Mahavira, the last of the 24 Tirthankaras and a central figure in Jainism. Nirvana, in Jainism, represents liberation from the cycle of birth and death, achieving ultimate spiritual freedom. Diwali, for Jains, is a day of profound spiritual significance, commemorating Mahavira’s attainment of enlightenment and liberation.
Sikh Story: Bandi Chhor Divas
Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas, which coincides with Diwali. This day commemorates the release of Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru, from imprisonment by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Guru Hargobind, upon his release after 12 years, also secured the freedom of 52 other imprisoned princes. Bandi Chhor Divas, meaning “Day of Liberation of Captives,” celebrates freedom from unjust imprisonment and the victory of righteousness and justice.
Buddhist Story: Ashoka’s Conversion
Buddhists also recognize Diwali, often associating it with Emperor Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism in the 3rd century B.C. Ashoka, initially a ruthless emperor, embraced Buddhism after witnessing the devastation of war. His conversion is seen as a victory of peace and compassion over violence and aggression, aligning with Diwali’s broader theme of light overcoming darkness.
Celebrating the Victory: Diwali Traditions
The celebration of Diwali is rich with traditions, varying regionally yet united by the spirit of joy and festivity. Common threads across Diwali celebrations are lights, fireworks, feasts, new clothes, and prayers, all symbolizing different facets of the victory being celebrated.
In southern India, a traditional early morning warm oil bath is common, representing purification akin to bathing in the holy River Ganges, both physically and spiritually cleansing. In the north, the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, is a central practice, seeking blessings for abundance and well-being in the coming year.
The tradition of setting off firecrackers symbolizes the dispelling of darkness and negativity with light and sound. Exchanging sweets and gifts strengthens bonds of friendship and family. Homes are adorned with vibrant rangoli, geometric and floral patterns created on floors using colorful powders, welcoming prosperity and good fortune. Even gambling, in some communities, is a symbolic tradition linked to the belief that prosperity on Diwali night foreshadows good fortune throughout the year. Purchasing gold on Dhanteras, the first day of Diwali, is also considered auspicious, believed to bring good luck and wealth.
In conclusion, the question “Why Is Diwali Celebrated?” leads to a multifaceted answer, deeply rooted in the universal human desire to overcome darkness, ignorance, and evil. Whether it’s the Hindu stories of Rama and Krishna, the Jain observance of Mahavira’s nirvana, the Sikh celebration of Bandi Chhor Divas, or the Buddhist association with Ashoka’s conversion, Diwali’s core message remains consistent: the enduring triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance, celebrated through joyous traditions that bring communities together in hope and renewal.
