butterflyuk

I love to go to London but have only been a very few times in my life. I have not been to many other cities either, except Leicester, so I don't know how it is in other places but at the moment Leicester, in part, would be lit with Christmas lights. The reason being ethnic community in Leicester will be celebrating important festivals. Leicester city council will put the lights on, switch them on for Diwali and leave them to be switched on again for Christmas.

Muslims are fasting for Ramadan for a month and this week-end it will end with Eid. This week also is very important for Hindus. They are celebrating Diwali. Over the years much has been mentioned about Muslim festivals in the media. Most people know about Ramadan but Hindu festivals were never mentioned in the past. I will tell you a few stories about Diwali, also called Deepawali.

As I have said before if we want to integrate and enjoy the company of each other making the society friendly and happy then we should try to understand each other and our individual ways.

Diwali means a festival of lights, triumph of good over evil. In India in old days every home used to be alit with small earthen lamps burning oil. These days they have changed to fashionable metal or glass holders,candles, electric bulbs etc. Diwali symbolises an eradication of darkness, shadows of ignorance and entrance of the light of knowledge, humanity and compassion. Diwali teaches to uphold the true values of life.

The common story behind Diwali is that Lord Rama entered his kingdom after a 14 years of exile. His coronation was celebrated in Ayodhya after his epic war with Ravana, the demon kind of Lanka in which his kingdom was destroyed.

Diwali is celebrated much like Christmas with Fireworks, special food, new clothes, meeting family and friends, gifts, general enjoyment. The houses and businesses are cleaned and decorated. A special decoration called Rangoli is drawn with corse rice powder on the grounds in the entrance of the houses. By the way a competition of Rangoli is a very exciting public event.

At the end of 5 days of Diwali a Hindu New Year starts. This year being 2061.

I have more special stories, interesting myths about the five days of Diwali. Follow me tomorrow in my next blog if you want to find the real reasons for celebrating Diwali.

We all should join in all celebrations, may they be Eid, Diwali, Guy Fawks day, Harvest Day,Rosh Hashanah, Chinese New Year, Christmas or any other. Happiness is returned double fold when it is given and shared.

I was reading a work news letter and Diwali wishes were mentioned in there for the first time which prompted me to write this blog so I must thank the writer for that.