India - My Life within and without

First thing First:

Happy Diwali to everyone here and hope you all enjoy this festival of lights.


Festival of lights means the festival which represent lights, in any from any color and any shape. This festival actually started as religiously act of welcoming God Rama after he win over Evil and came back to Ayodhaya with his wife. there are other views also available in our myths cos our religion(Hindu) changes its shape and style every 25 to 30 miles, but now a days I only see people performing prayers to Ganesha and Lakshmi. In the fire burn all your sins and obstacles and live a new year with happiness and fun.

According to Myths We Indians celebrate it as respect and welcome to God Rama after his 14 years of exile in forest, But with the modern time, its more or like holiday time, when you have excuse to buy things and gifts for your personal self, family and friends.

Basic celebration include performing prayers to God Ganesha (God of Obstacle) and Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of Money) I don't know where God Rama disappeared in all these events cos it started as welcome to God Rama to his Ayodhaya, but now its more about welcoming lakshmi and Ganpati and prayers include about blessing personal self to Loved ones for better life and save from Obstacles and poverty. We pray for better life, better business and more money and that too with out any obstacles (ya alright, what a dream we carry on our shoulders) After prayers we light candles and diyas all over our house and around our home, then we distribute sweets to neighbours followed by fireworks. Its a fun and loud night if you are in India, specially big cities, the bigger the city more the crowd, fun, pollution and showoff.

When to celebrate this festival - Courtesy wikipedia - The Amanta ("ending on the new-moon") version of the Hindu Calendar has been adopted as the Indian national calendar. According to this calendar, which is prevalent in southern India and Maharashtra, the 6-day celebration is spread over the last four days of the month of Ashwayuja (Ashwin in Marathi) and the first two days of the new month of Kartika. According to the Purnimanta ("ending on the full-moon") version prevalent in northern India, it falls in the middle of the month of Ashwayuja/Ashvin. In the Gregorian calendar, it falls generally in the months of October or November. In 2006, it was celebrated on October 21, a Saturday. In 2007 it will be celebrated on November 9, a Friday.


This day supposedly moon does not appears in sky and we light our houses with Diyas and candles, so it is light all over even if its no moon night, Well I guess Rama came during the night and people lit his way and this is why its known as festival of Lights.

So this is basically Diwali festival...I love this festival obviously cos its holiday time and gifts time, but more over sometimes its just the hype of it which make me love these moments about India. I always try to perform Prayers the way my Mother told me and the way I have learned on my way to life. Although am not a very hard hard hard core religious person, like anyone else I also mold and move religion to my convience.

Last year I had just moved to USA at Diwali times, we celebrated Dusshera in Ahmedabad and Karwachauth in Chandigarh and Diwali with Snehal's parents in Chicago. It was not the way I wanted my first Diwali at my In laws place, but I wasn't very disappointed cos we have tons of relatives to be with during festival time in Chicago. This time its more tough for me, I am all alone, mindset is not comfortable, personal issues and all over again...USA...not aperfect place for Mumbayikar like me...I tried to celebrate Dhanteras quietly and with peace inside me, but I guess I failed(may be not to full extend but still...) Tommorow is Diwali and I am trying to keep my cool and relax mind in front, cos I want to do at least prayers with peaceful mind. The sweets have turned into chocolates and diyas have become Xmas candles and I have no clue about gifts.

So this is my Diwali...how did you celebrated festival of lights and what you got as gift?

V J