Deepawali

One of the most enjoyable festivals next to Dasain is Deepavali which means the festival of lights. This festival also known as Tihar is celebrated every year throughout the kingdom with great pomp and grandeur. The celebration of this festival generally begins on the 13th day of the dark fortnight (Kartik-Oct.) and goes on until the second day of the bright fortnight. That is to say, this festival is celebrated continuously for five days. Because of this unbroken chain of celebration, it is known by the name of Panchak which means five day long. We may also call it the festival of nights. Because the first thing that comes to our sight when we think of Deepavali is the dark evening. Actually speaking we can hardly get any feeling of festivity until the evening, comes up. In other words, we cannot derive any delight from the lights alone without the arrival of night.

. Though this festival has many fascinating features, the most magnificent one amongst them is the decoration of the door-ways and windows with majestic marigolds and oil lamps every evening during the entire period of celebration. The making of the lamps in the very beginning of the festive evening has a spiritual significance. It represents the aspiration for enlightenment or knowledge where as darkness stands for utter ignorance. The entire illumination work is indicative of intention to conquer Avidya (dense darkness) by means of Vidya (brilliant light). In other words, this symbolizes liberation from ignorance for self-realization. In order to make it a little more clear, story from Hindu mythology may be referred to.

 Once there broke out a war between demons and deities. Narkasura. the head of the demons, fought furiously for his fame until he won the war. Puffed up with victory, the head demon designed himself as the overlord of the worlds. Cruel and corrupted as he was, he also started insulting th, innocent wives of defeated gods. This was a big shock to their helpless husbands. It was his command and wish that anything considered excellent from the materials down to any means of sensual pleasure be immediately offered for his honourable service. It is said that his slaves under his command were able to bring altogether 16000 princesses with blooming beauty and flaming youth for his fun. They were all kept under his cruel control

. It is. however, interesting to note that the four giant sentinels with five heads stationed by him in four different directions to safeguard his frontiers had all been killed by Lord Krishna. They were known as Mura. Hayagriva, Nishumbha and Panchajanya. They were always up to put people in trouble for no fault of their own.

Narkasura was none other than a frightening figure oi tyranny. It is said that a mention of his name alone w enough to scare the innocent people to death. People were so afraid of him that they didn't even dare to light up their houses in the evenings for the fear that he might get them for his grind if their houses were lit up. According to this Puranic story, the celebration of this festival came into . practice from the very day. Lord Krishna killed Narkasura. 

 The fore-mentioned sentinels are also none other than the symbolical figures of four big enemies of mankind such as Kama (lust). Krodha (anger), Lobha (greed) and Moha (attachment). And the five-headed guards are the symbolical figures of five basic senses of human beings. To pick up the main theme of the story, it must be remembered that man can never reach the stage of self-realisation until he is capable enough to keep himself detached from all those four enemies (human demerits) mentioned above and at the same time control all five senses that are so restless by nature. This is to say that if we allow ourselves to go too free all the time, they simply won't leave us without ruining our original wisdom, which is the only supreme guide for our self-realization. Human mind without self-restraint, is like a five-headed demon Mura who got killed by Krishna.

 From all this, it appears clear that Deepavali is certainly a great festival of spiritual significance- which every year comes to give us a lesson on love for light and spiritual height.

 As we celebrate Deepavali, let us not forget that despite every home seems illuminating with festive lamps, there is still another darkness of poverty and ignorance hanging around in our country. We have got to do. away with all those demonic problems too, which are standing on our way to progress and prosperity.