Deepavali - The festival of lights

By Sivanandini Duraiswamy

Deepvali the festival of Lights is particularly pertinent at this time in our country’s history representing hope, promise and renewal. These values are symptomatic of the deep hope we Lankans cherish that permanent peace could be had. The conflict of the last several years has led to scarring most of us in this plural society. The oil lamps that are lit in the dark night represents the point that even in the dimmest situation hope and promise remain to steer humanity in its path and that victory of good over bad will prevail even in a difficult situation.

“Which else shall beautify a home

But the flame of a lovely lamp.

Which else shall adorn the mind

But the Light of Wisdom deep,”

is a beautiful verse which glorifies the lovely lamps of Deepavali, the festival of lights. These little lights mysteriously beautiful, in the row of lamps, proclaim our inherent and deep seated wish to be free from the path of darkness, misery and evil and remind us that our essential nature is Light.

Deepavali falls on the 14th day of the dark half of Aippasi, when the moon is in the lunar mansion of Swati. Even though its origins are wrapped up in antiquity, this festival of lights conjures up in every Hindu mind, however young or old, man or woman, a vision of lights, rituals baths, prayers and festivities.

Deepavali is associated with many legends including the triumphant return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya, Goddess Lakshmi visiting our homes, Lord Krishna vanquishing Narakasura. Be that as it may, it is the triumph of light over darkness, of dharma over adharma, of enlightenment over ignorance. The Hindu scheme of life emphasizes the endeavour to a material affluence. This design balances dharma that is righteouness with artha and kama, that is emphasis on economic abundance and restrain of pleasures. This focuses on the resolute exertions in the quest of success.

Tradition has associated Deepavali with Narakasura Samhaaram, the annihilation of Narakasura, a Puranic story where dharma triumphs over adharma. According to Hindu mythology, Narakasura, an all powerful demon, was a tyrant King who had acquired untold strength through severe penance. He used this to harass the kings, the devas and the sages, who, unable to bear the tyranny, complained to Krishna. In the Song Celestial the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that whenever there is decay of righteousness and rise of unrighteousness, then He manifests Himself. And so Krishna, the destroyer of evil and the protector of righteousness, answered the prayers, destroyed Narakasura. He restored dharma and peace.

The story of Narakasura is strange; perhaps the battle episode gruesome but it brings with it a wonderful message of enlightenment, peace, joy and cheer, by the destruction of ignorance, darkness, sorrow, hatred etc. Man’s life is a constant battle between right and wrong, between darkness and light, between knowledge and ignorance, between love and hate etc. and the spirit of Deepavali becomes very relevant to him.

This story may be a myth but as Ruskin describes, a myth is a story with a deeper meaning and a deeper significance attached to it; something more than what is apparent. Mythology is a clever device adopted by the ancient sages to teach humankind, not only literature, history and the sciences but also religion and the grandeur of a religious life. The deliverance of dharma and enlightenment from the clutches of evil and hatred through the Grace of Light, brings peace, joy and cheer. This is the spirit and essence of the Deepavali message. The saga of lights therefore reminds us that within each one, are the Narakasuras, the evil tendencies which have grown upon us and which must necessarily be removed through the Light of Knowledge in order that we may attain our goal. The whole episode denotes victory of good over bad.

Deepavali connotes Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya – the word etymologically splits into a + yudhya meaning a situation of no war. This would mean a return to peace and a spirit of possibilities. Hindu literature celebrates Lord Rama’s return to usher in a period of righteous rule into his kingdom. One can hope in this season of joy and cheer that our Island nation would also soon approximate to the ideal of Ram Rajya where the common weal is well secured by the State.

Deepavali marks the new year for the mercantile communities – a pre-eminent feast observed by the commercial circle. They close old accounts and initiate new fiscal records often canceling outstanding debts. Goddess Lakshmi is invoked to bless the community with prosperity and fortune in the months ahead. This represents a spirit of renewal where old ghosts are vanquished and new possibilities ushered in, in the spirit of the season.

Deepavali, is a very auspicious occasion where the darkness of ignorance and evil is illumined by the Light of Knowledge. ‘’Tamasomaa jyotir gamaya,’’ through the Light of Knowledge, lead us O Lord, from darkness unto light’, was the yearning prayer of the Vedic sages, for a life more beautiful and an existence more spiritual. The Lamp of Knowledge is enshrined in man’s heart, it is the Deepam the Light that symbolises Atma Jyoti. This deep seated light is unfortunately wrapped up by the layers of ignorance that one has accumulated over his various births. The Light must be brought out in order to drive away darkness and ignorance.

In certain parts of Sri Lanka and India, Deepavali coincides with the harvest festival where the whole community comes together - it is a period of thanks-giving and rejoicing. In the agricultural cycle of Batticaloa and Jaffna the farmers plough the land before the north east monsoon rains and the subsequent sowing of the autumnal paddy seeds.

Hindus, Sikhs and Jains celebrate Deepavali interpreting its significance differently, while the Hindus living in Fiji, South Africa, Mauritius and West Indies observe this season with great enthusiasm.

All Hindus await the festival of Deepavali eagerly; days ahead the women start preparing for the occasion - cleaning up the houses, preparing sweetmeats and stitching new clothes. Everywhere there is an exuberance of activity manifesting love and affection. With the dawn of Deepavali all cleanse themselves with an oil bath, the Ganga-snaanam, as it is called. Metaphorically, this is to wash off the contamination caused by the impurities, the Narakas within - ‘Malankaluvuvaar’ as Saint Manikkavasagar sang. On this day, Goddess Lakshmi, is said to grace homes and places of work that are bright with illumination.

Lovely lamps are lit and above all, the members of the family visit the temples with offerings of flowers, fruits, silk, incense etc. These community gatherings at temples convey deeper meanings, meanings of friendship and love, humility and enlightenment, caring and sharing ushering in peace, unity and compassion as expressed in the last hymn on Peace and Unity in the Rig Veda-

“Let your aim be one and single; let your heart be joined in one;

The mind at rest in unison, at peace with all, so may you be,”

was the benediction of the Vedic Sage. Peace and love go together while hatred and violence are disturbing conditions breeding fanaticism, as the ancient sages said, “What ever you love you are its master; what ever you hate, you are its slave.”

Deepavali is thus a colourful festival with religious, social and cultural strands woven into it, adorning the entire fabric of Hindu society, making it one in essence. On this occasion we must kindle the flame deep within anew as Rabindranath Tagore says,

Come Deepa-awali waken hidden flames

Out of the desolate dark

and offer a symphony of praise

to eternal light.

The stars are dimmed,

The night is desolate

And the call comes from the deep:

‘Man bring out your lamps.’