To Hindus: Happy Diwali!

[Ahimsa]

**Message to Hindus for Feast of Diwali

**
"Demands of Love Can Be Best Learned From God"

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 16, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is the message, “Overcoming Hatred with Love,” published by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, on the occasion of the feast of Diwali.

The celebration lasts three days, marking the start of a new year, family reconciliation, and worship of God. This year many Hindus will celebrate the feast starting Oct. 21.

---

Overcoming Hatred with Love

Dear Hindu Friends,

1. As people seeking for the Absolute you will pause for a short while on your spiritual journey and celebrate joyfully Deepavali, your ancient religious feast, which for you signifies the victory of truth over untruth, light over darkness, good over evil and life over death. On behalf of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue I wish Hindus all over the world a happy feast of Diwali…

 

[meedo]

Happy Diwali

 

[LilyM]

Indeed! Happy Diwali to all of our Hindu friends.

 

[havemercy]

Deepavali is a festival where people from all age groups participate. They give expression to their happiness by lighting earthen ‘diyas’ (lamps), decorating the houses, bursting firecrackers and inviting near and dear ones to their households for partaking in a sumptuous feast. The lighting of lamps is a way of paying obeisance to god for attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace, valor and fame.

It is one time in the whole year that children volunteer to leave their beds long before the day begins. In fact, the traditional oil bath at 3 a.m, is the only chore that stands between them and the pre-dawn adventures. They emerge, scrubbed clean to get into their festive attire, and light up little oil lamps, candles and scented sticks(agarbathis), the wherewithal for setting alight crackers and sparklers.

On Diwali night, little clay lamps are lit in Hindus homes, but now a days colored electric lamps are also used. What is the significance of lighting a lamp? There is a logical answer to this question. It is through the light that the beauty of this world is revealed or experienced. Most civilizations of the world recognize the importance of light as a gift of God. It has always been a symbol of whatever is positive in our world of experience.

To Hindus, darkness represents ignorance, and light is a metaphor for knowledge. Therefore, lighting a lamp symbolizes the destruction, through knowledge, of all negative forces- wickedness, violence, lust, anger, envy, greed, bigotry, fear, injustice, oppression and suffering, etc. Competition is stiff, and even the little girl in silk frocks and their finery are watching out for the best sparklers and flowerpots, the rockets and Vishnuchakras, which light-up the night sky like a thousand stars. Grown-ups are the soul of generosity. Festive bonhomie abounds.

This makes me happy. Happay Diwali, indeed!