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Diwali Customs And Traditions |
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Every festival celebrated in India has numerous manifestations due to the myriad cultures and customs prevalent in the country. In different manifestations of the festival, the customs too deviate to some extent. Thus, Diwali emerges as a three dimensional festival with multifarious facets to it. This article is devoted to exploring the same facets of Diwali.
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What makes Diwali a mass festival than a religious one is the number of legendary stories associated with it. Actually, these stories narrate incidences important to different religions. While the story of Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after putting an end to the Ravana era in Lanka is significant for all Hindus, the incident of Swami Dayanand Saraswati attaining nirvana was a headway in the process of establishing Arya Samaj.
So many stories behind Diwali gives reasons for a variety of customs and traditions existing while celebrating the festival. People have attached a certain sentimental value to these customs. The tradition of playing cards has been allied to the fact that Diwali brings along prosperity and wealth. On the other hand, the tradition of Rangoli supports the Indian tradition of giving a warm welcome to their guests. In the same custom, tradition of lights takes us back into the story of Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya as well as Pandavas return to Hastinapur, when their pathways were illuminated with jillion of oil lit clay lamps.
On the auspicious Diwali day, every one in the house wake up early in the morning and get ready in their new dresses. They decorate their houses and prepare special Diwali recipes. In the evening starts the actual ceremonies. Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi are offered prayers and sung in praise of. People thank the Almighty for showering his blessings on them and pray that he sustains the same. Next is the custom of exchanging gifts amongst loved ones. After the rituals are over, all indulge in merry making, burst firecrackers, sing, dance and enjoy to the fullest.
This was the usual rituals performed by almost every Hindu. There are certain rituals which are followed by a particular sect or devotees of a particular devotee. As per the Hindu mythological stories, Naraka Chaturdasi also falls during the Diwali days. The rituals for the festival include giving an oil bathe to the idol of Lord Krishna and then offering prayers to the deity. The ritual is performed at around three o'clock in the morning before the dawn breaks. The people living in the rural belts welcome the harvest period during Diwali and their celebrations have a pastoral charm to it. Similarly, there are many more regional celebrations of Diwali that are unique and wonderful.
Different reasons to celebrate Diwali, but the enthusiasm is the same and this is the beauty of Indian culture. What it displays is unity in diversity.
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