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Deepavali will be celebrated on November 11
Light up your life
Deepavali is back. Also called the festival of lights, the occasion is symbolized by the lighting of oil lamps - a way of thanking God for happiness, knowledge, peace and wealth. Hindus all over the world celebrate this most joyous of festivals with much gaiety and fervour.

In preparation, it is common for people to clean their homes, buy new clothes for themselves and also as gifts for others and make huge mounds of sweets and savouries well in advance, to be shared among family and friends.

On Deepavali day the young and old wake up early, have a traditional bath and perform a pooja to Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. Crackers are lit to light up the sky as no Deepavali is complete without fireworks. After a special breakfast, most families visit the temple to pray for happiness and prosperity.

What is the significance of Deepavali? The Puranas tell the tale of Narakasura, son of Bhumi (Bhudevi) who acquires a blessing of immense power from Lord Brahma, after a severe penance.

He soon unleashes a reign of terror in the kingdom of Pradyoshapuram, harassing the sages, devas and other celestial beings with his unbeatable might. Unable to bear the demon's torture, the celestial beings appeal to Lord Krishna to save them.

Narakasura however, is not so easy to defeat because it is destined that he would face death only at the hands of his mother Bhumi. So Krishna persuades his wife Sathyabhama, the reincarnation of Bhumi to act as his charioteer in the battle against Narakasura.

In the battle that follows Krishna feigns unconsciousness after being hit by an arrow of Narakasura. An angered Sathyabhama takes the bow and aims the arrow at Narakasura, killing him instantly. Hence the story celebrates the victory of good over evil. Other lessons from it are that parents should not hesitate to punish their children when they are wrong; and the good of society should always prevail over one's personal bonds. Deepavali is also believed to be the day that Rama returned with Sita and Lakshman from his 14 years of exile, after killing Ravana.

Overjoyed, his subjects light up the kingdom with lamps and crackers to welcome him. Sivanandini Duraiswamy in her book, 'Remembering Hindu Traditions’, writes of the relevance of Deepavali today. "Man's life is a constant battle between right and wrong, darkness and light, knowledge and ignorance and love and hate."

Deepavali brings with it a message of enlightenment, peace and joy by the destruction of ignorance, darkness, sorrow and hatred.

-Esther Williams

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