10.07.2009

what is Festival of lights and what we miss!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Is Diwali ?
Deepavali - the very name of this festival reveals its meaning. The festival is all about the lighting diyas. Later the term 'Deepawali' became 'Diwali'. Deepawali or Diwali is also known as 'the festival of lights', because on this day, people illuminate their home and premises with diyas and colorful lights. Celebrated usually in the month of October or November, Diwali bears significance in the Hindu culture as well as among Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains. The legends connected to the festival are different for different religions.
Why is it called Festival of lights?
People light hundreds of small oil lamp (called diyas) they place them around the home, in Courtyards and in gardens, as well as on the roof-tops and outer walls. This is to commemorate the Part of the story that describes oil lamps being placed outside people’s homes to light the way to rama and sitas triumphant homecoming to Ayodha

Every festival in this world holds the practice of gifting, quite high in its estimation. Diwali is a festival, which involves more than just the Pooja, the crackers and the sweets. It involves the act of the whole family getting together and fortifying family ties, thereby, bringing happiness by giving Diwali gifts A normal Diwali starts with the pleasant act of the family members getting together and doing their respective activities in order to set up for the grand celebration in the evening.
Women and daughters make delicious sweets, while kids put out crackers in the sun on benches and cots. Men in the meantime make themselves busy with the last minute shopping and other activities.The evening brings with it many wonderful activities with some of them being:
1.Lighting up the whole house with radiant diyas, candles and also electric lights.
2. Getting together the firecrackers for having fun with them as soon as the Laxmi Puja is over
3.Having pleasant recollections about the way in which Diwali was celebrated last year
Goddess Lakshmi
On the occasion of Diwali, Hindu households are brightly lit with the help of lamps and lights. It is believed that at night Goddess Lakshmi pays a visit to the brightest homes. Many of the believers keep the windows and doors of their house open to allow Goddess Lakshmi a free passage into their home.
Firecrackers
A Diwali without firecrackers is quite impossible to imagine. Kids and adults enjoy bursting several, noisy firecrackers on Diwali. The night skyline is illuminated by the bursting of all kinds of firecrackers.
Some of the popular firecrackers that are burst on Diwali have been listed below.
Flower pots
Electric crackers
Ground wheel
Rockets
Sparklers
Sweets, Gifts and New Clothes

The practice of presenting boxes of sweets to loved ones is quite prevalent in India. You would find plenty of Indians exchanging gifts and sweets on the occasion of Diwali. Wearing brand new clothes also forms a delightful part of the festival of Diwali in India.
Diwali is one of the Hindu festivals in India that help family and friends to enjoy some auspicious and delightful time together.
What are you missing to us with Diwali?
We miss the pre-dawn bath, the rangoli everywhere, and the divas at night. We miss eating the sakharpoli and all the ladoos and all the wonderful sweets we'd swap with our neighbors.
We miss visiting offices with our dad and getting a nice fat envelope of cash - only for books, he'd warn. We miss the all night card game, we especially miss bhau bheez - when the girls come and perform aarti for their brothers.

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