Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world.
Diwali, which for some also coincides with harvest and new year celebrations, is a festival of new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness.
The exact date of when Diwali occurs changes every year, depending on where the moon is in the sky, but it usually falls sometime between October and November. In the Hindu calendar, Diwali is celebrated on the day of Amavasya or the new moon, which falls on the 15th day of the waning moon or Krishna Paksha in the month of Kartick, which this year falls on Thursday 4 November 2021.
The word Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, meaning “rows of lighted lamps”. The festival dates back 2,500 years from the Indian subcontinent and is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. Each religion marks different historical events and stories.
Hindus celebrate the return of deities, Rama and Sita, to Ayodhya after their 14-year exile, as well as celebrating the day Maa Durga destroyed a demon called Mahisha.
Sikhs celebrate the release from prison of the sixth guru Hargobind Singh in 1619, but Sikhs celebrated the festival before this. During Diwali in 1577 the foundation stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar, the holiest place in the Siki world, was laid.
Jains celebrate the moment that the founder of Jainism, Lord Mahavira, reached a state of Moksha or nirvana.
During the festival, houses, shops, and public spaces will be decorated with small oil lamps called ‘diyas’. The lighting of fireworks is also common with it being interpreted as a way of warding off evil spirits as well as being a fun and festive way to celebrate the tradition.
Seema Buttoo, a faith advisor for Bradford Hindu Council and a Hindu faith tutor for Bradford Council for over 22 years discussed how the community in Bradford is going to celebrate Diwali, with it being extra special this year, with some family and friends coming together after almost two years apart.
Holding back tears on the phone, Mrs Buttoo said: “I’m very emotional thinking about Diwali this year. I will be reuniting with family that I haven’t seen for almost two years because of the pandemic.
“Diwali is a festival of light. Lighting a candle is seen as a symbol of hope. Even the tiniest little flame can light other candles, and that is what hope is.
“Last year when we were restricted to celebrating in only our homes and family bubbles, we had the hope that we would be able to celebrate together again as a community. Covid-19 has not disappeared, and we have to still be cautious, but I am so thankful that can come together again.”
Cleaning both your surroundings and mind and soul is an important aspect of Diwali. “People will have already started preparing for Diwali or will start this weekend, by cleaning. This means having a good ‘spring clean’ of your home but also re-evaluating and keeping a healthy mind, soul, and attitude”, Ms Buttoo said. By doing this, it promotes a positive and inviting energy that is central to Diwali festivities.
Diwali is also a time of sharing, whether it be of gifts, clothes, or sweets. Mrs Buttoo added: “My neighbours, who are not Hindus and don’t celebrate Diwali, look forward to the festival every year because I make pakoras and give them out to people on the street as they come home from work. That happy feeling of sharing in the community warms my heart and that is why I do it.”
In 2016, in India, almost 250 billion rupees or £2.80 billion was spent alone on Diwali celebrations. For people who celebrate the festival is one of the biggest gift-buying occasions of the year, with clothing, food, and luxury items particularly popular. In the UK, dressing up for all five days of Diwali is also important to some.
When asked about the possible commercialisation of the festival, Mrs Buttoo said: “Giving gifts comes down to the idea of sharing. People, specifically children and the elderly, are given clothes on Diwali traditionally because people previously didn’t shop as much as we do now. Today, some people go shopping every weekend but before clothes were only purchased a few times a year.
“Inevitably, for some, there is a case of ‘my dress is better than yours’ but to those people, I ask them to look inside themselves and see the true meaning of Diwali.”
Across the globe, fireworks have been incorporated into Diwali festivities as a fun way to mark the occasion, as people do all over the world when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve but for this celebration, the meaning goes beyond the surface.
“Previously, people used to bang a spatula against a metal tray to mark something special or a celebration, the sound would travel, and people would know that something joyous is being marked, it is the same thing for the fireworks.
“This year is interesting because it is Diwali on Thursday and Guy Fawkes night the following day, so who will know if the fireworks are for either the festival or Bonfire Night. Myself, I am just happy with a couple of sparklers in the garden to mark the occasion.”
The five-day festival will see temples across Bradford open for longer with different services being held. Shree Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple on Leeds Road will be celebrating Diwali on Sunday 7 November from 5pm to 6.30pm, including bhajan kirtan, fireworks, and preeti bhojan will be served.
We wish all our readers and customers a very Happy Diwali.
