Concept in Definition ABC

The festival of lights or Diwali is a typical celebration of India in which the arrival of the New Year is celebrated. This festival begins on the fifteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Kartika (between October and November) according to the lunar calendar of the Hindus and lasts for five days. As for the term diwali, it comes from the Sanskrit "deepavali", a word that could be translated as a row of lighted lamps.

During the Diwali festival, light plays a role singular, since the Hindus decorate their homes and temples with oil lamps or diyas, which symbolizes the victory of good over evil. In this way, people express their gratitude for all the positive in their lives. Other elements that are part of this festivity is the use of pyrotechnics, flowers and colored powders or rangoli that are used to draw figures decorative.

Main features

It is an eminently family and traditional celebration. It is common for houses to be decorated and illuminated so that an atmosphere of happiness is perceived.

Families have the custom of making prayers addressed to Lakshmi, a deity of the tradition Hindu symbolizing good fortune. To honor the goddess Lakshmi offerings of food traditional. During the days that Diwali takes place, the exchange of gifts between loved ones.

The origin of Diwali is shrouded in legend

There is no single version of its true origin. Some argue that this celebration is related to the return of the goddess Rama to the city of Ayodhya after a long period of absence. According to another version, during the days of Diwali the victory of the god Krishna over the forces of evil is celebrated.

A hallmark of India with international projection

Diwali is a holiday that should not be associated with a specific religion, but is part of the different religious traditions of India: Hinduism, Sikhism or Jainism. In this sense, the festival of lights is celebrated in all Hindu communities on the planet and for this reason It is a party that has reached a dimension international, as it happens with other cultural elements of India: the movie theater of Bollywood, the bharatanatyam or Hindu classical dance, the typical clothing of women, the use of the bindi (a colored point located on the woman's forehead) or some typical dishes of the kitchen Hindu.

Photos: Fotolia - Shiny / Akhilesh Sharma