Diwali is the largest Indian festival
Key points
- Diwali Day has religious incidents of importance not only to Hindus. Other Indian religions have also recorded important events on this day.
- Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs all have their own history of period events unfolding in this tithi
- All these religions prescribe the lighting of lamps on the Kartiik (Ashwin, according to the Poornimant calendar), moonless night and prayer.
Diwali is of great importance not only to Hindus, but to almost all the religions that originated in India, for their respective religious reasons and times.
Jainism
This is the day of Nirvana or spiritual awakening of Lord Mahavira. He was born in 599 BC. C. as a prince in Bihar and left his family and the royal house, he renounced his worldly possessions, including clothing, and became a monk at the age of 30. He achieved Keval-jnana (enlightenment) and organized the adherents of Jainism into a fourfold order, namely monk (Sadhu), nun (Sadhvi), male followers among the general public (Shravak), and female followers among the general public (Shravika). Later, they are known as Jains. At the age of 72, when he felt his life purpose on Earth had been achieved, he achieved Moksha, unity with God, in the early morning of Ashwin’s Moonless Day (Kartik according to the Amavasyant calendar), coinciding with Diwali. . date. His purified soul left the body and achieved complete liberation. Jains observe this day by lighting lamps and chanting strotras.
Sikhism
Guru Hargobind Ji, the sixth Sikh guru, was released from Mughal imprisonment on this day. Guru Hargobind was born in 1595 in Wadali Guru, a town west of Amritsar. His father, Guru Arjan Singh, was tortured by Jahangir, the Mughal emperor, for refusing to convert to Islam. Later, 14-year-old Hargobind was also arrested. After a long period of imprisonment, it was on a date coinciding with Diwali that Guru Hargobindji was released from captivity. Sikhs also observe it as Bandi Chorr Diwas (Day of Forgiveness and Liberation of Prisoners).
Buddhism
Buddhists celebrate Diwali by lighting lamps, as Diwali is the auspicious day on which Emperor Ashoka, who renounced the war, decided to follow the path of Buddhism. Emperor Ashoka started the Digvijay campaign on this day. The public had greeted them with lighted lamps. Also in Buddhism, after 18 years, Gautama Buddha returned to Kapilavastu with followers on this day. Then Diwali was celebrated by burning millions of lamps at its reception by the citizens.
Hinduism
Hindus also celebrate Diwali with different religious beliefs that vary by geographic region. Mainly, it is about Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana during the period of exile. In the southern part, Narak Chaturdashi is celebrated as the day when Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura. In the western region, Bali Pratipada is the day the demon king Bali was defeated by Lord Vishnu banished from his kingdom.
So Diwali is a festive time all over India.
