Page 44 - november 2021
P. 44
DEEPAVALI
LORD RAMA, MOTHER SITA, AND BROTHER LAXMAN’S RETURN TO
AYODHYA
By Parul Bhatia
neighbors or friends or coworkers in the
US. However what Diwali means to us is
perhaps difficult to explain to people - just
like Hanukkah would be difficult to explain
to those who haven’t truly experienced it, or
Eid or Lohri, - who haven’t experienced it
while growing up.
Deepavali, which literally means a row of
clay lights, is a festival that unifies India, our
Motherland, and Indians all over the globe.
It is celebrated everywhere in India and is
part of our psyche, our consciousness, and
our collective experience. It all begins when
we complete Ravan dhahan (burning of the
effigy of Evil King Ravana, who had abducted
Sita) on Dusshera. That’s when the nearness
of this festival starts kicking in.
The idea behind Diwali is a common thread
that runs through the fabric of the lives of
Indians. The streets are lit with lights and
“Diwali?.. Yes we have heard of it. Tell me colorful lamp shades and the houses start
about it” says my Moroccan neighbor one sparkling with colorful gleam, decorated
October morning as our kids go off to school with lights that are mostly of red, and yellow,
and we wave them a cheery “see you later and sometimes other colors too. The shops
boys”. begin mounting boxes of sweets and savories
”Hmm, oh well,– it’s one of our
biggest festivals .. it’s a festival
that is celebrated by all Indians”
I say. Growing in a country which
celebrates Eid and Christmas, and
many other festivals – it is, in my
opinion, a festival that is experienced
by all Indians – no matter what
religion.
We’ve often offered expressions such
as “it’s a festival of lights, it’s what
we do to celebrate good over evil,
it’s our Indian Christmas” to our
DesiPages DFW | November 2021 VOL 33 | 44
