8/4/2019 Hindu Festival Diwali Broadsheet Color

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What occurs on Diwali?Diwali (or Deepavali, row of lights) is cele-brated by Hindus worldwide to commemoratethe triumph of good over evil, knowledge overignorance, hope over despair. Oil-wick lampsare lit in every household, along withcolorful strings of electric lights, caus-ing the home, village and community tosparkle with dancing flames. The festi-val falls on the day before the new moonin the month of Ashwin (October/No-vember). Communities spare nothing incelebration. Lavish spreads of sweets andtreats reflect unfettered partying. Diwalilehyama potent concoction made

with ginger, pepper, ghee and moreisprovided to help gourmands digest thesumptuous feast. Families reach out toeach other with gifts of sweets, driedfruit and crunchy, salty treats. Everyonewears colorful new clothing and manyeven new jewelry. Girls and womendecorate their hands with henna designs.

What does lamp-lighting signify?In Hindu culture, light is a powerful

metaphor for knowledge and consciousness. Itis a reminder of the preciousness of education,self-inquiry and improvement, which bringharmony to the individual, the communityand between communities. By honoring light,

we affirm the fact that from knowing arisesrespect for and acceptance of others. Lightinglamps reminds Hindus to keep on the rightpath, to dispel darkness from their heartsand minds, and to embrace knowledge and

goodness.

What legends are associated with Diwali?In the sacred text Ramayana, Diwali marksthe return of Rama to his kingdom after de-feating Ravana, the demon king who ruled SriLanka and kidnapped Ramas pious wife, Sita.It also celebrates Krishnas victory over Nara-kasura, the demon of ignorance. Rama andKrishna are earthly incarnations, or avatars, ofVishnu.

Does ritual bathing play a part?Diwali marks the conquest of nega-tive forces. To wipe away all tracesof lifes struggle, the negative anddraining energies of strife, Hindusinvoke the waters of Indias holiestriversGanga, Yamuna, Godavari,Sarasvati, Narmada, Indus and Ka-veriinto water collected in urns inpreparation for an ablution after anoil massage. The special bath cleanses

the physical and auric energies of theindividual. Fragrant powders of driedlentils, roots, aromatic seeds, leavesand flowers are used to remove the oil.Families then don fine new clothes,beautiful patterns are drawn on theground, and lamps are lit until entirestreets glow. Even the White Housein Washington, D.C., is illumined bythe gentle glow of oil lamps during itsannual Diwali observances.

HOLY DAYS THAT AMERICAS HINDUS CELEBRATE

What else is done for Diwali?Melas, or fairs, are held in all In-dian towns and villages. In the countryside, the mela includes a festivemarketplace where farmers bring their produce to sell and clothingvendors have a heyday.

Are there customs for the day after Diwali? The followingday, families offer special prayers to Lakshmi for a prosperous year. Thisritual worship is also directed to Kubera, the celestial being who dis-tributes wealth to mortals. As Hindus pray for comfort and the familys

material wealth, it is believed that things should not be given away ordonated on this one day of the year.

What are the giant effi gies that are burned by big crowds?Huge effigies of Ravana, with ten heads, are built of straw and filledwithfirecrackers. They are burned as a joyous, symbolic cleansing from

evil, and lights are lit in every home, just as residents of Ayodhya did towelcome home their victorious king, Rama.

Indian Carrot Sweet

Carrot HalwaPreparation time: 20 minutesCooking time: 60 minutesServes: 6-8Equipment: A small wokor round-bottomed pan, aladle and a serving dish.

Ingredients4 cups/1 kg grated carrots, 1 cup sugar,

2 cups milk, 1 ladlesghee, a few cashews and raisins,2 cardamom pods

Method1. Wash, peel and grate the carrots.2. Fry the cashews, raisins and

cardamom in ghee and set aside.3. Heat a ladle of ghee in the pan. Add

the grated carrots and saut.4. Add enough milk to soak the carrots

and cook on low heat, stirringoccasionally, until carrots are soft.Keep adding milk, a ladle at a time,and cook until the milk thickens,then stir in the sugar.

5. Cook over low heat until everythingblends together into afirm mass thatseparates from the sides of the pan.

6. Garnish with the fried cashews,cardamom and raisins. Topwith a little ghee and pistachioslivers for extra flavor.

This educational poster is part of Hindu Festival Outreach, a collaboration between Sanatana Dharma Foundation of Texas and H INDUISM TODAY magazine in Hawaii. Additional resources may be found at www.hinduismtoday.com/festivals.

Soumya Sitaraman and Usha Kris, respectively author and photographer of Follow the Hindu Moon, generously contributed text and graphics (hindumoon.com).

Tidbits About Diwali

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www.dinodia.com

www.dinodia.com

Celebrating the Triumph of GoodnessDiwali

FACT: Believing that the Divine resides in all things, Hindus practice non-

injury and hold a deep respect, bordering on reverence, for all living beings.This embracing attitude is reflected in Indias history of welcoming refugees

from all cultures and faiths. By following dharma, Hindus eschew violence andterror. Secure in their faith, they interact harmoniously with their neighbors,

regardless of relig ious affi liation.

FICTION: Many people wrongly believe that Hindus, being proud of their

religion, may disdain other cultures. In fact, Hindus fully accept the spiritualeffi cacy of oth er paths and never pro selytize.

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If you rolled a bit of Christmas, New Years Eve and the Fourth of Julyall into one, then catered the affair with mountains of sweets andsavory snacks, you would have a taste of what it means to celebrateDiwali, Indias best-known festival. It is a day of Hindu solidarity, whenall Hindus gather in love and trust. It is observed by lighting rows of oillamps and exchanging greeting cards, clothing and other gifts. Familybonds are strengthened and forgiveness sought. For many, Diwali marksthe beginning of the new year. Joyous festivities and parties abound.