Embrace the spirit of Diwali: Unity, Joy and Celebration
Amandeep Kaur (she/her) // Contributor
Tin Raganit (they/them) // Illustrator
Diwali, called Bandi Chhor Divas in Sikhi and Dipawali in Jainism, is celebrated by over a billion people around the world on the same day with different stories, customs and practices in each religion.
In Hinduism, Diwali is celebrated on the new moon day of the Kartik month, which is the month of Lord Vishnu’s worship. The preparations start at the beginning of the month. Diwali marks the return of Lord Shri Rama, a Hindu God, to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana from 14 years of exile after defeating Ravana, the 10-headed demon king. People lit diyas (ghee lamps) to turn the dark night of Amavasya into a full moon day. Since then, every year in the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar, Diwali has been celebrated on Amavasya, the new moon, which falls on a different day each year in the months of October or November.
Diwali encompasses five days of celebration beginning with Dhanteras. On this day, people clean their homes, buy gold, silver, jewellery, utensils, etc. The second day is Choti Diwali or Narka Chaturdashi, which is when people decorate their homes, worship Lord Krishna and light diyas. As the name indicates, people remove nark (negativities) from their homes.
The third and main day of Diwali is Lakshmi Puja (prayer to the goddess Lakshmi). On this day, people worship Ganesha, decorate their homes with flower garlands and diyas, light firecrackers and create rangoli art. Young people seek the blessings of their elders. The following day is Govardhan Puja, which is another prayer, and the fifth day is Bhai Dooj. On this day, sisters pray for their brother’s long and happy life and sisters give nariyal gola/coconut to them and get their blessings in return.
Bandi Chhor Divas celebrates the return of the sixth Guru, Sri Guru Hargobind Singh Ji to Amritsar after imprisonment in Gwalior in the early 1600s. He and 52 kings were held captive by Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor, in an attempt to fight the rising popularity of Sikhi after its creation.
After capturing him, Jahangir fell sick. Mian Mir, a Muslim saint, suggested the emperor let Guru Hargobind Ji go. The emperor agreed, but when Guru Hargobind Ji asked him to release the other captives, he said whoever can hold Guru Hargobind Ji’s chola (piece of cloth) can go with him. So, the guru arranged a chola with 52 corners. To celebrate the return of Guru Hargobind Ji and the captives, the people of Amritsar and Sikhs around the world light diyas throughout the city, in their homes and gurudwaras (temples) to celebrate.
There are 24 tirthankaras in Jainism, regarded as the first humans to achieve Nirvana, or moksha which is the release from samsara, the life-death cycle in the material world. Dipawali celebrates the anniversary of the day the 24th tirthankara, Lord Mahavira, attained Nirvana at the dawn of the new moon in 527 BCE. Dipawali also marks the end of the Jain year, so they wish each other “Nava Saal Mubarak” meaning “Happy New Year.”
The word Dipawali is made up of the Sanskrit words Deep and Aawali. Deep means “lamp” and Aawali means “line or series.” On this day, Jains celebrate by lighting diyas to symbolize keeping the light of Lord Mahavira’s knowledge alive.
Jain temples are decorated with lights and sweets are distributed. Diyas are lit to symbolize the removal of ignorance. Many Jains celebrate by fasting, singing and chanting hymns and mantras while some participate in charity. All celebrations are marked by simplicity, equity and calmness. Non-violence is a pillar of Jainism, so they avoid firecrackers as they can harm living organisms. They also visit Pavapuri and Nalanda in the Indian state of Bihar to offer their prayers.
This festival, despite being celebrated by different religions, connects people through the same constant message: No matter how dark it is, there is always light after darkness.