If there’s one place
that knows how to celebrate a festival, it’s India. From grand city events
to simple village melas (fairs), India’s jam-packed festival calendar is as rich and
diverse as its traditions and topography.
A star attraction on the
Indian festival stage is Diwali – a
joyous celebration that, broadly speaking, celebrates the triumph of good over
evil. The festival’s name roughly translates to ‘row of lamps/lights’ – which
is why Diwali is widely known as the
“Festival of Lights.”
It takes place over a
period of five days on auspicious dates during the end of Ashvin/start of
Kartika – the Hindu lunar calendar months which equate to the Gregorian
calendar months of October/November.
Diwali is a national Hindu festival that is also embraced by other
religious denominations including the Sikhs and Jains. As such, it entails religious and regional variations in
the way it is celebrated. For Jains, Diwali
signifies the attainment of moksha (liberation from the
cycle of life and death) by Mahavira (the 6th century BC founder of Jainism’s
central tenets). For Sikhs, Diwali largely denotes the 1619 release of Guru
Hargobind (the sixth of Sikhism’s 10 gurus), along with 52 others, who had been
detained in the Gwalior Fort by the Mughal emperor Jehangir.
When it comes to India’s
major religious community, the Hindus, Diwali commemorates the victory of Lord
Rama (King of Ayodhya, according to sacred Hindu texts, and also a prominent
deity) over Ravana (a powerful demon) and his triumphant return to the kingdom
after a period of exile. Keen to make Lord Rama’s homecoming as swift and safe
as possible, his jubilant subjects illuminated the way with masses of twinkling
Diyas (earthenware oil lamps).
It is for this reason the lighting of diyas has become a key
component of the Diwali festival.
It also symbolizes the
replacement of darkness (ignorance) with ‘inner’ light – garnered via the
pursuit of knowledge and spiritual practices. Indeed, spirituality lies at the
heart of Diwali, with devotees
specifically seeking blessings from two prominent Hindu deities: Lakshmi, the
goddess of wealth and Ganesh, the elephant-headed god of good fortune and
auspicious beginnings.
The most popular gift,
by a long shot, is Mithai (Indian sweets), with ornately
packaged dried fruits and nuts also a hot seller. Shops are filled with a
spectacular array of mithai specially prepared for
this festival, from thickly cut squares of barfi (fudge like sweet, often
coated with a thin film of edible silver leaf) – old favorites include pista (ground pistachio nut)
and kaaju (cashew nut) – to soft syrupy gulab jamuns (deep-fried balls of
dough) and spongy rasgullas (sweetened cream-cheese balls flavored with rose-water). Indeed,
if there’s ever a time to experience India at its sweet – and convivial – best,
it’s during Diwali.
Here
are some places which we suggest you to travel during this Diwali to make your Diwali
more colorful and exciting like it has never been before.
1. Jaipur: Admire the
Illuminated Markets
Much of the
beauty of Diwali comes from the warm
glow of lights and lamps which adorn streets, homes, and
shops. One
of the best places to experience this is in the "Pink City" of Jaipur,
in Rajasthan, where not
just buildings but whole markets are
illuminated. Each year, there's a competition for the best decorated and
most
brilliantly lit up market, and the government foots the electricity bill. It's
a dazzling display that attracts
visitors
from all over India. Just like Las Vegas
has a "Strip",Johari Bazaar has earned the title of "The Strip" in
Jaipur during Diwali.
2. Goa: Go Gambling and
Watch Demon Narakasura Get Burned
In Goa, the focus of Diwali celebrations is on the
destruction of demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna. Competitions are held in every
village and city to see who can make the biggest and scariest effigy of the
demon. Some are really huge! They're burned at dawn on Narakasura
Chaturdashi, the day before
the main day of Diwali. As gambling is
also a popular activity during Diwali, you might want to try your luck at one of Goa's top casinos as well. However,
make sure you book well in advance for the floating casinos, as they are very popular at
this time of year.
3. Varanasi: See
Fireworks over the Ganges River
Varanasi is a crazy place at any time of year, but it becomes even more
so during Diwali with a constant stream of firecrackers and fireworks going off
all night long. For the best experience, make sure you stay at one of the riverside
hotels in Varanasi, so you have a fabulous
view of the fireworks over the Ganges. Other highlights are the special Ganga
Aarti, Ghats illuminated with candles, diyas that are floated down the river,
and procession of Hindu deities through the streets.
4. Amritsar: A Sacred
and Golden Diwali
You may be surprised to learn
that although Amritsar, home of the Golden
Temple, is
predominated by Sikhs.Diwali is celebrated in a grand way
there too. The occasion has been incorporated into the Sikh religion and is particularly
significant because it also marks the return from prison of the sixth Sikh
guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib, in 1619. He had been unjustly held for his
beliefs, along with many other political prisoners who he helped free. What's
more, the foundation stone of the Golden Temple was laid on Diwali, in 1577. Expect to see a
mesmerizing display of fireworks over the Golden Temple. The Temple complex is also
draped in lights, and the edge of the lake fringed with countless oil lamps and
candles, lit by devotees.
