Man is a social animal. The festivals express the social feelings of men. What to speak of men, even the animals and birds like to lead social life. This social feeling of man has given birth to the society, associations and organizations. The men started to mix together and formed the society and associations on account of their social tendency. As the tendency of society and associations grew, the festivals and celebrations also took birth. These festivals and festivities help a lot to remove the monotony of dry life. The arrangement of the celebrations of a particular festival adds to the importance of the festival All the countries of the world, all the nations of the world, and all the castes of the world celebrate the festivals in one way or the other. India also is not an exception to it. It is a land of fairs and festivals Many festivals are celebrated in India regularly every year. These festivals are Holi, Diwali and Dussehra etc. These festivals express the feelings of men of peace and entertainment. That is why there is great importance of these festivals in the life of man. I like the festival of Diwali most. Though it is the festival of all the Hindus, yet it has a special significance for the Vaish community.
Different types of social, religious and national festivals are observed in India with great enthusiasm, but Diwali surpasses all in grandeur and beauty. The place of Diwali in Indian life is of a great importance. This festival is celebrated throughout India and originally it is the indication of the changing season. In the rainy season the trades and communications etc, are stopped in a way. The festival of Diwali is the indication of the end of the rainy season and the begin ning of the winter season.
When Diwali is celebrated
As we have seen above, this festival is celebrated at the end of the rainy season. Sometimes it is observed towards the end of October and sometimes in the beginning of November. According to the Hindu calendar, it falls every year on the 15th day of the month Kartik. The season at this time is pleasant It is the beginning of the winter season, so it is neither too hot nor too cold.
The reasons of its celebration
There are so many historical realities behind the celebration of the festival. It is alleged that Lord Ram, after leading the life in exile for fourteen years and conquering Lanka, returned to Ayodhya on this day. The inhabitants of Ayodhya burning the lamps of earthen pots of ghee, welcomed Ram, Now they do so in the memory of the same day and wish for the prosperity of the country as in the reign of Ram. The Jains celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm because it was on this day that Lord Mahavir achieved Nirvan. The Arya Samajists also celebrate this festival with pomp and show because their Maharishi Dayanand got salvation this day. Generally this festival is celebrated in honour of the goddess Laxmi, the Hindu Goddess of Wealth. It is believed that the Goddess blesses those with prosperity, who keep their houses neat and clean on this day. The goddess is supposed to visit the Hindu houses at midnight.
A few days before the festival great preparations are made. All the houses are white-washed and well cleaned. Even the huts are also cleaned. Furniture, doors, windows and ventilation are polished and varnished. The curtains are also washed. The pictures hanging in the rooms are also cleaned. The festoons and buntings are prepared specially for this occasion. These are hungs at different places. In all the families sweets are prepared. Some of the persons purchase the sweets from the market.
This day is marked with great rejoicing and merry-making. Diwali has been derived from. ‘Dipawali’ a Sanskrit word which means the ‘rows of lights’. All the members of all the families are busy to light the earthen pots in rows inside and outside the houses. The villages are changed into cities on account of the light. It seems as if the stars are twinkling on the earth. The people decorate their houses, shops and the royal paths. The colourful display of electric bulbs also adds to beauty at this occasion.
Specially, the children are very happy on this day. They get sweets to eat and balloons and toys to play. They burn the crackers and fire-works which sometimes prove to be fatal. The goddess Laxmi is worshiped at about 10.00 P. M, on the same night. A picture or a small statue of the goddess Laxmi is bathed in milk. The prayers are offered and sweets are distributed. Next day, sweets are distributed among friends. This festival serves the purpose of increasing mutual love and friendship among friends and relatives.
This day the businessmen worship their new account-books. The students read their books. Those persons who have to start some new business chose this day the purpose.
The festival has many advantages. All the houses of all types of people are white-washed, cleaned and decorated on this occasion. The burning of ghee and mustard oil makes the atmosphere pure. On account of white-washing the insects of rainy season are killed. This day even the poor persons arrange for merry making and sweets etc. They, too, on account of this festival get the chance of eating sweets and merry making. The children specially enjoy this festival. They eat delicious sweets and get toys to play with. Defects This festival is not without fault. There is a very old tradition prevalent in the country on the occasion of this festival. People gamble on the next day of Diwali’. This is a very dangerous tradition in the country. Some people suffer a heavy loss owing to this. Gambling continues for several days and so many men become the victim of it. This ruins many families. The losers are turned into thieves to make up their loss. Again owing to the fire-works and crackers, so many persons burn themselves and so many houses are also burnt.
It some bad traditions prevalent on this occasion are stopped, this festival may really become the best festival of India. Even the foreigners praise this festival. Actually, I like this festival most and there is no other festival in India which can surpass it in its excellence.