Today is Deepavali:

Deepavali - the Festival of Light

Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

Hindu mythology is unique in the sense that every important episode in it has a lesson for us to learn. Deepavali or the festival of light is one such. It symbolizes the destruction of the forces of darkness and evil and the enthronement of light or God in individual and collective hearts.

It is therefore appropriate that on this auspicious occasion we should take stock of the none-too-bright a situation in our country today particularly in relation to historic role that Sri Lanka by virtue of her unique heritage has to play in the regeneration of mankind.

Hindu culture or Dharma is not composite in the sense of a co-existence of different splinter ways of life. It is an integrated way of life and composite in the sense that it has derived inspiration from many sources and is moulded by many influences.

It is a single way of life and has an organic outlook, one set of fundamental values, one underlying idea guiding and informing the values flowing through the stream of life.

In fact, the festival of Divali or Deepavali (row of lights) is of great spiritual importance. It signifies the emergence of the soul from out of the darkness of Avidya to the light of Vidya or awakening.

The awakening of knowledge indicates that light has been brought into the lives of silently suffering people immersed in utter misery and gloom. It is exactly to depict this truths that the Deepavali festival is celebrated with a row of lights in every Hindu house.

According to Hindu calendar in the month of November bright and beautiful lamps and candles are lit in Hindu houses like a garland of lamps offered in dedication to the deities. This shows the annihilation of sorrow of the people who were overpowered by the forces of darkness and later inspired with the hopes and inspiration for better times ahead.

Some people believe that Deepavali is associated with the popular legend of Lord Krishna’s victory over Narakasuran who by the practice of austerities had gained strength to drive the Gods out of the celestial kingdom. But, Lord Krishna with his divine powers killed him and so saved mankind.