Diwali means we pray for light to remove darkness
The Washington Post deserves praise and bouquets for doing a story in pictures on Diwali, the festival of lights. It is also a symbol of victory of good over evil. Diwali and Deepawali mean the same festival of lights.
AS THE age-old legend has it, when Maryada Purshottam Shri Ram, his consort Sita Ji, and younger brother returned to Ayodhya, their home town and capital city of the Kingdom of Awadh or Koshal, people of all ages and classes were full of joy and the joy knew no bounds. They lighted every nook and corner of houses, roads, streets and all public places with earthen llamps filled with mustard oil and kept on recharging diyas or earthen lamps with mustard oil so that Ayodhya remained lighted for the whole night. The people of India, that is Bharat, have been celebrating the same Diwali festival year after year since then and find joy anew every year.
Diwali or Deepawali are just fine but to give it another name too - Tihar - smacks of mischief. The Washington Post correspondent was taken for a ride and briefed that Tihar was another name of the festival of nights. It is absolutely wrong. Tihar is a central jail on the outskirts of the capital of India, New Delhi. At this point of time when more than a billion strong Hindus and their friends professing other religions are having pooja or prayers followed by fun and frolic, some important politicians, including a former cabinet minister of the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh, are locked up in the Tihar jail as pre-trial accused in serious financial cases where they allegedly defrauded the state treasury of millions of rupees. Naturally, their Diwali will be in the dark precincts of a jail devoid of joy. There will be no fruits, dry fruits, sweets, gifts and laughter of loved ones during the Diwali week. So, some mischief monger gave another name to Diwali - Tihar. It amounts to mental cruelty, if I may say so. Of course, I must hasten to add that in some parts of Nepal, Diwali is known as Tihar. But in India, that is Bharat, the festival of lights is Diwai or Deepawali. Tihar means the Central Jail in New Delhi..
DARKNESS TO LIGHT
Who likes darkness? None, my friend, none. Who likes light? Everyone, my friend, everyone. Diwali removes darkness and gives us Light. The Vedic injunction is: TAMASO MA JYOTIRGAMAY.; PRAYING TO GOD ALMIGHTY THE DEVOTEE SAYS: O LORD! LEAD ME FROM DARKNESS UNTO LIGHT. Thus, Diwali not only removes outer darkness but also exhorts us to cleanse our minds of dark days and evil views that represent darkness. Ishwar or God may accede to our prayers and lead us to the lighted world. Our inner thoughts may be enlightened ones and we work for the entire mankind.
Thus, Diwali, the festival of lights, comes to all human beings every year with a message that is loud and clear. The Evil Thought and Deed must be removed from our lives and vicinity as these represent Darkness. Noble Thought and Action should be learnt and practised so that we live and pray in an enlightened atmosphere. Let the DIWALI Light of Knowledge guide us forever.
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