Diwali - the festival of light!

Diwali - the festival of light!


12/11/2020 16/11/2020

Diwali is the four- to five-day long Festival of Lights celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists.

One of the most popular dates on the Hindu calendar, Diwali symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, and takes place each year between October and November after the conclusion of harvest and to coincide with the new moon.

During the celebration, streets, homes, offices and shops are illuminated with light, which acts as a metaphor for knowledge and consciousness.    Over the five-day period of the festival, people prepare by cleaning and decorating their homes.   The festivities reach their peak on the third day, Diwali, which falls on the darkest day of the Hindu lunar month, Kartik.

On this day, revellers dress up, light up their homes with oil lamps and candles (diyas) and worship Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth.  They also light fireworks and enjoy a feast with their family, sharing mithai (sweets) and gifts.
Here's a video of how different this festival might be in time of COVID-19!

A PRAYER FOR DIWALI
Light shines in darkness.  Light takes away darkness.  Light brings hope.

God of light, when things seem difficult

or when we’re frightened or sad, 
help us to remember that light is stronger than darkness,

and good is stronger than bad.

AMEN

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