The Story Behind Diwali: What it means for Young Learners
Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the most joyful events of the year. It is a time when families come together to celebrate, eat their favourite foods and spend time together. In fact, Diwali brings with it many favourites- tasty ‘faral’, bright lights and colourful rangoli. In the midst of all this, have you ever wondered about how this festival came to be, or where it originated from?
The tale behind Diwali and its importance in Indian culture is indeed fascinating to know, so let us take a moment to reflect on these aspects, as well as to learn something new about the tradition of Laxmi Pujan.
The Story Behind Diwali
Though often-told, one can always do with listening to the tale of Lord Rama, Sita and Laxman one more time. The events of their lifetime are famously recorded in the Mahabharata, and many of these events are what inspired the celebration of Diwali.
Lord Rama’s exile is a well-known excerpt, which was orchestrated by Manthara, and in turn, Queen Kaiyeki commanded that he be exiled for fourteen years. These years tested Lord Rama and his brother Lord Laxman multiple times, and each of these anecdotes hold their own importance.
The abduction of Sita by the demon King Ravana, ruler of the kingdom of Lanka is an age-told tale, as well as the story of the rescue. With the aid of Lord Laxman, Lord Hanuman and Sugriva (King of the monkey kingdom), a fierce battle ensued between the armies of Ravana and Lord Rama.
Lord Rama’s victory and the rescue of Sita was a great triumph, which was celebrated by lighting lamps and spreading happiness, a tradition which continues to this day and is called the festival of Diwali. These lights now symbolise the victory of good over evil, as well as the boundless relief and joy the residents of Ayodhya felt on Lord Rama’s return.
The Significance of Goddess Laxmi during Diwali
Although the celebration of Diwali is mainly focused on Lord Rama, Laxman and Sita, there is also quite some significance of the Goddess Laxmi as well Lord Ganesha, too. Goddess Laxmi is the deity of wealth and prosperity, and Lord Ganesh is that of intelligence. Both of these divine beings have a close relationship, of course, as well as a close connection with Diwali as well as our way of life.
The worship of both Lakshmi and Ganesha is seen as a balance between wealth and wisdom. The latter is also worshipped when setting out on any venture, business or taking a new step in life, as it is believed to remove any obstacles or difficulties from one’s path. The true importance lies in this- possessing wealth without the intelligence to use it wisely is not truly fulfilling, and hence the two ensure that both prosperity and judgement flourish side-by-side.
The rituals that take place during Lakshmi Pujan differ from region to region, but for the most part, they all share some common aspects. First, the home is cleaned thoroughly, which all of us are familiar with, and then colourful rangoli is used to create beautiful patterns. Diyas, lamps and lights are, of course, a vital part of this day as well- a way to invite good fortune into the home. The puja that takes place includes the offering of precious metals like gold and silver items to the goddess. After the puja is complete, something sweet is offered as ‘prasad’.
Taking a look at the different kinds of traditions that take place during Diwali and especially Lakshmi Puja across the country is very interesting, as we get to know all kinds of new information about the same festival. Even though we may celebrate differently, Diwali is a time for joy, family and gratitude, and we all look forward to it with equal excitement!