Significance of Deepavali....

Deepavali or Diwali is the festival of lights. Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhist. The celebration is having slight differences in various States of India. It is related with harvest festival and so is believed for wealth and prosperity. Deepavali means a row of lights. 'Deep' means light and 'avali' means a row. Deepavali literally illumines the minds and the places with its intense brightness and dazzles everyone with its triumph. Deepavali is a celebration on the third day out of the five day celebration. Deepavali is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of dark fortnight, coincides with the darkest. Deepavali falls between mid-October and mid- November. It is an official holiday in India, Fiji, Pakistan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Guyana, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
Spiritually, Deepavali, signifies the victory over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and hope over despair.  The lights are lightened inside, outside and around the houses, temples, buildings in the community where it is observed. Lakshmi pujas are done in the eve followed by illuminating the skies by fire crackers and a feast of sweets for all the family members and others. The lights illuminate our hearts to find a new reason and hope for life. The light remove the darkness within us and empowers us to commit to good and kind deeds that brings us closer to divinity. The lights, the sounds of fire crackers and the scent of the incense sticks brings happiness, hope and togetherness. Diwali is the celebration of life for its  blessings and virtues and for the attainment of health, wealth. knowledge, peace and prosperity.
The lovely memories of Deepavali in my childhood in southern Kerala is so nice. The day before Deepavali, coconut oil, rice flour and jaggery are distributed to the farm labourers around us. The oil bath before sunrise is very important on Deepavali followed by a delicious breakfast of idly and sambar along with ada, a special snack prepared with rice flour, grated coconut, jiggery and dried ginger powder. Those who turned on the morning of Deepavali at our home will be distributed with oil and cooked special breakfast of  Deepavali.
Deepavali is celebrated around the globe with a lot of colourful programmes highlighting the significance, culture and religious.  All are so happy on the special day with lots of lights in their heart sweeping away the ignorance and filling with knowledge. Where ever we are, on Diwali day, let us light a 'diya', sit quietly concentrating on the supreme light with eyes opened or closed to illuminate the mind and soul.