Diwali: History, Symbolic, Description

Diwali
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Diwali
Diwali is an annual Hindu religious celebration. The event occurs between October and November. Although Diwali began in India, immigration and globalization spread to other countries such as the USA, Malaysia, and Mauritius. The event is synonymous with rows of lights meant to guide Lakshmi, the Hindus goddess of wealth and prosperity. This essay highlights Diwali's various aspects, such as historical details, spread, traditional uses, uses of food, the symbolic significance of the event, current usage, and effect of immigration and globalization on Diwali.
History of Celebration
The word Diwali is a derivative from Deepawali, referring to a row of lights. Diwali is a Hindu religious holiday observed between October and November. During the ceremony, Lakshmi, a goddess of wealth and prosperity, is worshiped (Jones, 2015). The practice is common in India, Mauritius, Malaysia, and Asia among the Hindus. Hinduism believes in one universal reality, Brahman, approximately 33 million gods, several goddesses, and scriptures. However, there is no belief in one specific sacred book (DIWALI, 2020). Hinduism's oldest writing is Vedas that contains hymns, instructions, magical formulas, and philosophy. Other holy books include Great Epics and the Epics with Ramayana, the Bhagavad Gita, and Mahabharata. There are lesser gods called devtas to serve Brahman, most revered, and impersonal (Jones, 2015). Several myths are explaining the origin of the Divali festival. However, all the myths revolve around a point where good triumphs over evil. In south India, the Divali festival gets associated with Lord Krishna, while in North India, the festival becomes linked to Indian Epic Ramayana. The ceremony had its first practice in India.
Other Anthropological/Historical Details
Gambling is a game of taking chances for remembering god Shiva, who gambled with his wife, Parvati, and lost everything. Kartik, his son, sympathized with him and invited her mother for a game and defeated her. Parvati trained her son Ganesh who later defeated his brother Kartik. Parvati later lost everything to Narad and Ravana. However, Parvati blessed the play of dice on every first day of Kartika. Hence, games of chances during the Diwali festival is a symbol of success and prosperity for Hindus to date.
How did Diwali Festival Spread
The Diwali festival spread to other parts of the world like the USA from Hindus immigration. Therefore, in pursuit of jobs, the Hindus practiced the Diwali culture in the foreign lands where they settled.
Description of Traditional Uses in Cultures Where it is Used/Celebrated
During Diwali festivals, Randoli becomes designed either at the doorway or on the floor. Annakut is the fourth day of Diwali festival where Lord Krishna get remembered for rescuing people and animals from flood that resulted from heavy rain. At the festivals, people's houses, temples, and public buildings get adequately lit using candles, oil lamps, or electric lights. Besides, the earth lamps' source of fuel is either mustard oil or ghee. Special shrines become designed in homes to worship Lakshmi after the sunset. Here, worshippers offer goddess sweets as a Prasad (DIWALI, 2017). The Hindus believe that through the offering, they get blessings and prosperity.
Uses of the Food in Celebrations of Different Cultures: Preparation, Traditional Dishes for a Celebration and Description of the Festival and Special Foods Associated with it
In Central India, Anarasa made from ground rice jaggery, dough, and poppy seeds become dried to form ghee. In Tamil Brahmin homes, Ukkarai, made from channa dal, cashew nuts, raisins, and jaggery syrup, always used. Also, Chakri, from lentil spiced with turmeric and red chili. Standard drinks included Falooda, cordials derived from citrus fruits, and nimbu pani, made from fresh lemonade (DIWALI, 2017). The festival uses symbols and customs that include good luck designs, games of chance, and lamps (Jones, 2015). The signs got blessings from the goddess; for instance, the goddess Kartika blessed the chance game.
Symbolic Uses and, or Restrictions on the Use of the Food or Discussion of Symbolic Foods Associated with Diwali Celebration
The typical food s during the celebration include sweets. The major sweets types include Barfi, Jalebi, Gulab jamun, Motochoor ladoo, Kaju katli, Rasgulla, and Kaju pista rolls. The sweets get prepared by women who combine efforts days before the Diwali festival begins to manufa...