2. It was a dark, moonless night when Lord Ram, the
banished king of Ayodhya returned home along with
his wife, Sita after having vanquished the demon,
Ravan (King of Lanka who had abducted Sita) and
having completed 14 years in exile.
To honour and rejoice the homecoming of their
king, the people of his kingdom lit his path with oil
lamps to guide him on his way. Thus began the
tradition of decorating homes and public spaces
with earthenware oil lamps (diyas) to mark the
triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and
the five day celebration came to be known as Diwali
or Deepavali which means ‘rows of lights/lamps’.
3. Diwali, the festival of lights, is a much loved
festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains
throughout the world. The festival ushers in a
period of merriment – a time to revel in the
company of loved ones, dress up in
finery and gorge on delicious dishes
prepared for the event. For wimps like
yours truly, it’s an occasion to behold
(never light) with childlike wonderment,
the colourful fireworks that dazzle the
night sky and turn it into a
kaleidoscope of myriad hues.
Here you can find some beautiful tealights for
your home.
