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Indians are proud and honor their religious beliefs. All Indian holidays, one way or another, are connected with Hinduism or Buddhism. Healthy Food Near Me tells how the main Indian holiday Diwali will be celebrated, symbolizing the victory of good over evil, the exit of human souls from spiritual twilight, in 2022.
When is Diwali in 2022
Like many memorable dates among peoples with a rich historical heritage and centuries-old customs, the Diwali holiday, or Deepavali (which means “clay lamp with oil”) is already held in the format of a multi-day colorful festival. Diwali 2022 begins 24 October and will last five days.
The deep historical roots of the holiday allow us to associate Diwali with the ancient pagan veneration of the autumn harvest. Many Hindus, especially those who work in the financial and banking industry, consider Diwali to be the beginning of their Indian new year. However, modern Indian society is so pluralistic that in different parts of the vast state, the holiday-festival is easily assigned a variety of meanings. In the end, the main thing is that the people of India and the large Indian diaspora around the world these days, as Vladimir Vysotsky sang, have a good reason to have fun.
During the celebration of Diwali in 2022, Hindus will celebrate many events related to their religion. All of them are closely intertwined with the rich Indian mythology and its characters. The events of the festive week in the Indian calendar are scheduled for each day. Moreover, along with fictional deities, real personalities are also remembered during this autumn five-day holiday. For example, the ruler of the ancient Indian Mauryan empire, the patron of Buddhism, King Ashoka.
History of Diwali
The tradition of celebrating Diwali is directly associated with the return home from enemy captivity of the legendary King Rama. Therefore, in order for Rama and his wife to get home safely, people burned oil lamps. They were called dii and were filled with Indian ghee. In Hinduism, ghee plays an important role in the organization of sacrificial ceremonies.
Another version connects the Diwali holiday with the defeat of the demon king Narakasura, who sowed unrest in ancient Indian society. The evil character was subdued by Krishna. The burning of an effigy of Narakasura by modern Indians on a holiday is one of the references to ancient mythology.
In many parts of India, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, the wife of the god Vishnu, Lakshmi, is remembered on a holiday. According to legend, she appeared in a white robe from the waters of the milky ocean, in which, in ancient times, gods and demons were looking for the elixir of immortality amrita. In Eastern India, on the contrary, the black goddess of power, Kali, is revered. It is characteristic that water motifs are also associated with it. After worship and prayers, the images of the goddess Kali are lowered into the reservoirs.
Diwali traditions
Exist eight major traditions Diwali holiday:
- House cleaning,
- distribution of sweets to neighbors,
- purchases in various stores,
- burning lamps,
- colorful fireworks in the circle of good friends, relatives and friends,
- parties,
- all kinds of gifts. If earlier the gift on Diwali was mainly clothes, now it has been supplanted by modern technology and gift certificates,
- rangoli – rangoli, considered, perhaps, the main identification mark of the Diwali holiday.
The colorful drawing of rangoli is the main decoration of these days. For its manufacture, colored sand and tinted rice water are used. Rangoli these days in Southeast Asia can be seen everywhere, even in large modern shopping centers. Rangoli are made by hand. It is believed that evil spirits cannot harm your home by being entangled in a cunning but beautiful pattern. Typically, the rangoli pattern is filled with various natural motifs and consists of intricate geometric shapes.
Diwali is especially colorfully celebrated in Goa, where there is a cult of Krishna’s victory over the local king Narkasur. The locals are great masters of rangoli drawings, and if you are lucky these days to get into their houses decorated for the holiday, you can properly enjoy the contemplation of complex drawings. At the same time, you will be introduced to local customs and traditions.