Between now and Christmas there is an emphasis on Light at the darkest point of the year. Almost every religion has a Festival of Light around this time –  The Jews keep Hanukkah, Hindus celebrate Diwali, Buddhists have a festival and the Chinese have a Lantern Festival.  Eid, which follows the holy month of Ramadan is the Muslim equivalent though it is kept as a moveable feast at different times of the year.

In Northern Europe there are celebrations of light as in Sweden where,just before Christmas, there is St Lucy’s day. Throughout Britain, people decorate the outside of their homes with lights and other decorations. It is all part of chasing the darkness away as, in the Northern Hemisphere, the hours of daylight diminish.

For Christians, the celebration of Christmas is rooted in the celebration of the coming of Jesus and whilst the birth stories in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke bring a new joy to the world, it is the first verses of St John’s Gospel which proclaim the light of God in Jesus) coming into the word. This ‘advent’ of God dispels the darkness and the emphasis is on light.

At the moment, there is another important festival of Light being celebrated – that of Diwali. This is the most well known of the Hindu Festivals.
My friend Rumi, whose wedding  I went to in Kolkata some years ago now, sent me this little piece about the celebration of Diwali
we celebrate the joyous festival of Diwali. We kicked off celebrations last weekend with friends and family with food, singing, dancing and fireworks.
We had a fabulous time this weekend with family and friends – eating, drinking and celebrating Diwali. We cleared out the old energy (with loud, sparkling fireworks) and brought in the new with some electric dance moves! What a tonic!
Thankyou to my loves for making this year’s party go off with a bang

This is an auspicious time in the Indian calendar and is a festival celebrated across all faiths and communities. We celebrate and give thanks for the harvest and seek blessings for the new year ahead.
At its heart is a celebration of Light over darkness, hope in difficult times, the triumph of good over evil – Happy Diwali!

Diwali (or Divali) comes from the Sanskrit word Deepavali which literally means “a row of lights.” This holiday, known in English as the “festival of lights,” is celebrated by Hindus around the world, and for most Hindus marks the beginning of the New Year. It symbolizes the victory of good over evil and celebrates light and life on both community and personal levels. It is a time to rejoice and feast with friends and family. Homes are cleaned and decorated with bright earthen lamps in every corner, and delicious meals are prepared and shared with all. Old accounts are closed, and arguments are settled.

Diwali is also a time to turn inward and light the lamps of knowledge and truth in hearts and minds so that people can dispel the forces of darkness and ignorance within us and allow our innate brilliance and goodness to shine forth.

Diwali is a time to reflect on and evaluate our thoughts, words, and actions over the past year. It is a time to acknowledge and better understand our prejudices, negative behaviours, and bad habits so that we may begin the process of transforming ourselves. It is a time to discover how we can be more loving, kind, respectful, towards ourselves and others. And since all wealth, be it material or spiritual, should be shared with others who are less fortunate, Diwali is also a time to reflect on the various ways we can assist others and shine our light out into the world.

Just as the flame of a lamp always points upward, Diwali is most importantly a time to celebrate and appreciate life and to look forward to the coming year with a renewed sense of purpose and passion. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, Diwali is a reminder and an opportunity to :
“Be the change you want to see in the world!”

May the divine light of Diwali shine with peace, prosperity, happiness & good health in all our lives. We pray to God almighty to shower the celestial blessings & prosperity on all alike. This Diwali let us change the trend & share our happiness & festive aura with the ones who are not as fortunate as us.