Why We Celebrate Diwali: Light Over Darkness
The deeper meaning of the festival of lights across regions, traditions, and inner symbolism.
More Than a Festival of Lights
Diwali marks the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Across India, it is celebrated for several reasons:
- North India — Lord Rama returning to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile
- South India — Krishna defeating the demon Narakasura
- Western India — Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity, visiting devotees' homes
The Inner Diwali
The outer lamps mirror the inner jyoti — the light of awareness that dispels the darkness of ego. Each diya lit on the threshold is, in truth, an invitation to the divine within.
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