Diwali – The Festival of Lights
For those who are not from India, Diwali (or Deepavali) is one of India’s most beloved festivals — a celebration that brings together light, renewal, and hope. The word Deepavali means “a row of lamps.” Across India and beyond, families light small clay lamps, called diyas, and place them in their homes, doorways, and streets. The glow of these lamps symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, and good over evil.
Diwali also marks a new beginning. Many people clean and decorate their homes, exchange sweets, and offer prayers for abundance and harmony. It coincides with the end of the harvest season, making it both a spiritual and seasonal renewal.
At its heart, Diwali is about kindling inner light — compassion, wisdom, and clarity — and sharing it with others. The festival reminds us that even a small flame can dispel great darkness.
Seasonal and Scientific Dimensions of Diwali
Diwali usually falls between mid-October and mid-November — the time when days begin to shorten, the air cools, and winter approaches in the Indian subcontinent. In traditional calendars, this period leads toward the winter solstice, when the sun appears at its southernmost point before turning northward again. It is nature’s reminder of a cosmic rhythm — darkness deepens before the return of light.
Lighting lamps at this time of year is therefore more than symbolic. In earlier centuries, the oil lamps helped purify and brighten homes during long evenings when sunlight was scarce. The gentle warmth and faint fragrance of sesame or mustard oil also had practical effects — reducing dampness, repelling insects, and improving air quality.
From a scientific perspective, the human body and mind are responsive to light. Exposure to warm light in darker months can lift mood, regulate sleep, and promote a sense of wellbeing — something ancient cultures understood intuitively. Thus, the lighting of diyas served not only a ritual purpose but also a biological and psychological one: keeping the community healthy, joyful, and attuned to the cycles of the earth and sun.
In this way, Diwali is both a festival of the spirit and a festival of nature — a luminous bridge between the outer and the inner worlds.
