MUMBAI, November 12, 2004: The Diwali festival has begun in India. Every year on the dark nights of Diwali the sound of firecrackers announces the celebration of the favourite festival of Indians. Homes are decorated, sweets are distributed by everyone and thousands of lamps lit to create a world of fantasy. Of all the festivals celebrated in India, Diwali is by far the most glamorous and important. Oil diyas (lamps) are arranged in and around the house. Because of these flickering lamps, the festival has acquired its name: Dipawali or Diwali meaning `a rows of lamps'.

     During this five-day Diwali festival, Hindus across the world celebrate good triumphing over evil and they light lamps to welcome Laxmi, the goddess of wealth.

     In north India, Diwali honors the homecoming of Rama -- the most revered Hindu deity -- to his capital city of Ayodhya, after his victory over the demon king Ravana.  As per this legend, Diwali's celebration of light began when Rama returned to his kingdom after being exiled in the forest for 14 years and was welcomed home with lights.

     In south India too, Diwali has two legends connected with it. The first legend again concerns the victory of good over evil where Narakasura the demon of hell, was killed at dawn by Krishna, the Hindu God. The second legend is about King Bali, the benevolent demon king of the netherworld who became a threat to the power of celestial deities which led Vishnu, the Hindu God to appear as a mendicant Vamana and trick Bali into surrendering himself. In return Vishnu gave him the lamp of knowledge to light up the dark underworld with a blessing that he would return to his people once a year to light millions of lamps from this one lamp so that on the dark new moon night of Diwali, the blinding darkness of ignorance , greed, jealousy, lust, anger ego, and laziness would be dispelled and the radiance of knowledge, wisdom and friendship prevail.

     The festival also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year, with business people regarding it as a good day to start their accounts. Others use Diwali to celebrate a successful harvest.

     In India, Catholics celebrate the festival of Diwali with a special Eucharistic Liturgy commemorating Christ the Light of the World.

    Every year, Salesians have a two-day extravaganza called ‘Diwali Mela’ for the streets kids of Mumbai to celebrate this festival. This year it will be celebrated on November 16 and 17 on the Don Bosco Matunga Grounds where over 2000 streets kids of Mumbai are expected.

    [It is worth noting that, as the Mumbai correspondent points out, Hindus elsewhere in the world also celebrate Diwali - in Fiji, for example, which has 42% of its population of Indian origin, Diwali is a national holiday and a similar range of festivities with a Fijian flavour to them.  Firecrackers are not permitted, partly because of the danger (several people were killed in past years, including small children) and partly because the 'gunfire' sound disturbs a nation that has had its fair share of political unrest in recent years.]

__________________________________