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The Meaning of Diwali
Diwali comes from the word Deepawali, which is derived from the Sanskrit words dīpa, ‘lamp, candle or that which glows, shines and illuminates ’ and āvali, “an array, row, continuous line, series”. The Light of the Earthen Deepa is a symbol of knowledge & consciousness, which banishes the darkness of unawareness, thereby making way for prosperity, bliss, health and happiness.
The Festivals of Diwali
Diwali is a beautiful assemblage of not just one but five festivals. It is usually celebrated eighteen days after the Dussehra festival.
Dhanteras is celebrated to mark the first day of the festival when everyone prepares by cleaning their homes and making decorations on the floor, such as Rangoli. In Hindi, dhan refers to wealth. On this day, it is considered auspicious to purchase jewellery, clothes, utensils, and electronic gadgets. The significance of buying gold and silver on Dhanteras dates back thousands of years, as it believed that these metals can ward off bad omen and negativity, and in turn attract wealth and prosperity. Lord Dhanvantari, considered Vaidya of Gods or God of Ayurveda, is worshipped on the auspicious day of Dhanteras. According to Hindu Mythology, he imparted the wisdom of Ayurveda to reduce the ailing suffering of mankind.
The second day is Naraka Chaturdashi, or the regional equivalent of Diwali for Hindus in the south of India. Western, Central, Eastern and Northern Indian communities observe the main day of Diwali on the third day i.e. the day of Lakshmi Puja. In some parts of India, the day after Lakshmi Puja is marked with the Govardhan Puja and Balipratipada (Padwa), which is dedicated to the relationship between wife and husband. The Pooja is performed to augment the bond of matrimony.
Some Hindu communities mark the last day as Bhai Dooj or the regional equivalent, which is dedicated to the bond between a sister and brother, for which our Forest Essentials array of gifting choices would be great to make celebrations of Bhai Dooj even more memorable. The craftsmen communities mark this day as Vishwakarma Puja and observe it by performing maintenance in their workspaces and offering prayers.
The Stories of Diwali
The Story of Diwali varies from one region to another in India. There is an association of many deities, cultures, and traditions with Diwali. The reason for these differences is the local harvest festivals.
According to the Ramayana, Diwali is the day Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya along with his wife Sita after defeating Ravana. The people of Ayodhya decorated each part of their city with an array of thousands of diyas which were lit with desi ghee in the celebration of the victorious return of their revered king. Thereafter to commemorate the day of his return, it became a yearly ritual which eventually became the majestic festival of Diwali which is not just celebrated in India, but even in Malayasia, Srilanka, Nepal and some parts of Indonesia.
According to western folklore, Lord Krishna killed Narakasura, the demon, on this day which resulted in the release of 16000 captive girls. Diwali is also called as Kalratri along the eastern shores of our country, when Goddess Kali Is believed to awaken to restore the feminine powers of the cosmos
However, the most important legend of all is the tradition associated with Goddess Lakshmi. It is believed that Diwali is the night when she chose Lord Vishnu to be her consort and it marks the time when the Goddess of abundant prosperity & wealth, entered into holy matrimony. This process transitioned her from a celestial being to a physical being and whole cosmos joined in celebration.
In Royal households, Lakshmi-poojan is done by the youngest couple of the family after a traditional ritual of spring-water bathing Adorning a young bride with floral fragrances & traditional silk saree with beautiful gold ornaments. Our Soundarya Luminous Beauty Body Oil, Soundarya Silkening Shower Wash and the Soundarya Ultra-Rich Body Milk are key to recreating this ritual at home.
The Spiritual Significance of Diwali
Diwali symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. Celebrated on the darkest night (Amavasya) of the holy month of Kartik, is a spiritual awakening of the sattva (goodness) in each and every cell of the body.
It is great time to detoxify your body as per Ayurveda, as the weather transitioning from autumn to winter is suitable for providing a salubrious environment to rejuvenate the cells. If you want to switch over to an all-natural skin regimen, this is the time of the year to make a favorable start. A sacred ritual in Ayurveda which greatly restores health & beauty is the traditional oil bath performed at dawn with the intent of self-healing. Oil-bathing in Ayurveda is known as Snehana translated as self-love, it pacifies the restlessness created by vitiated Vata, our Body Massage Oils are a great way to replenish body skin cells. The Brightening Tejasvi Emulsion is a great way to do Snehana for the face, to revive the natural oil & suppleness of the facial skin.
The Preparations for Diwali
De-cluttering & cleaning homes, re-painting, decorations, Rangoli, shopping, visiting friends & exchanging gifts are the chores done with a lot of excitement for the anticipation for this much-awaited festival. Food is a major focus with families partaking in feasts and sharing mithai and other delicacies.
The festival is an annual homecoming and bonding period not only for families but also for many communities and associations. Since Diwali has become a mix of socializing & family bonding at the same time, preparing your skin for the festivities is key. We recommend following a dedicated day & night ritual for the whole of the month to achieve glowing skin throughout its celebrations.
An ideal start of the day would be to cleanse your face with any of our natural face washes, like the most-loved Mashobra Honey, Lemon & Rosewater Delicate Facial Cleanser, followed by the Rasa Activating Serum and Tejal Balancing Water. The application of our iconic, gold-infused Soundarya Radiance Cream with SPF 25 is a poetic metaphor to reflect the festivities in even your skin.
The Tradition of Laxmi-puja
Diwali signifies the end of the the summer harvest and the beginning of the auspicious new moon (Amavasya), therefore making way for winter harvest & creation of wealth. The revered goddess. Lakshmi symbolizes these three virtues: wealth and prosperity, fertility and abundant crops, as well as good fortune. Devotees seek Lakshmi’s blessings in their ventures and would ritually close their accounting books for a day or two; also known as Bahikhata during Diwali. The account ledgers are even kept as a part of the Pooja.
Wonderful fertility motifs appear in agricultural offerings bought by farmers in rural and merchant families. Prayers are also offered to Goddess Saraswati, who embodies music, literature, and learning. In some parts of India, Lord Kubera, who symbolizes book-keeping, treasury and wealth management is also believed to be resurrected at this time to provide abundant blessings to everyone.
Every year, the whole five days of Diwali is a preparation to welcome Goddess Lakshmi to grace our homes and bless us with prosperity, joy & wealth. For doing pooja at home, our auspicious Laxmi Puja oil has become a cherished addition to the traditional Laung, Supari, Paan Patta, Elaichi that is kept in the thali for performing Lakshmi-pooja.
