Significance of Diyas, Rangoli, Lanterns and Sweets during Diwali

Monday, November 6, 2023

•A big part of the Festival of Lights is lighting diyas or earthen lamps. Diyas symbolize goodness and purity and lighting them denotes dispelling darkness and going into light and since Deepavali is celebrated on the new moon day, a time of darkness everywhere; light these lamps are a means to get rid of darkness. Lighting the lamps also denotes dispelling angerm, greed and other vices. Diyas represent the triumph of light over dark, good over evil with the most notable example of this being on the day of Diwali. Diwali is celebrated every year to celebrate the triumph of good over evil as told in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. “Diya” means auspicious lamp lit in every house in India (Bharat). It is believed to bring prosperity, welfare, and positivity in and around us. It is also believed that the 13 diyas protect against negative energies and bad spirits. Fire is of the five elements and is considered pure, so, when Diyas is lit it purifies the energies by transmuting negative energies. Traditionally, Rangoli is an art of decoration drawn on the floor or the entrances of homes. It is thought to bring good luck, prosperity to the house and in the family, and to welcome guests. The rangoli represents the happiness, positivity, and liveliness of household, and is intended to welcome Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and good luck. It is believed that a Hindu household without a clean entrance and rangoli is an abode of daridra (bad luck). The purpose of rangoli is beyond decoration. Rangoli represents women’s artistic side while also signifying the beauty of natural creations and divine blessings.

•Since women wake up very early to clean the surface before making intricate rangoli designs, it signifies purity, good fortune, and developing the aura of positivity.
•The design patterns of the Rangoli are symbols of the lotus flower, other floral shapes, peacocks, mangoes, and fish. Although they are traditionally handed over to generations, the colors have spiritual benefits. Devotees experience the serenity and the presence of divine energies when they make or see the rangoli designs.
•Devotees make pictures of deities, feet symbols of Goddess Lakshmi to welcome the deities into the house and bless its people.
•Traditionally, Rangoli designs were made to welcome guests into the house for a meal and stay. It was also directed to keep evil at bay.
•The perishable items used for Rangoli symbolize the transition between life and death and the colors depict love, compassion, and blessings of the divine.
•Rangoli is an age-old practice that’s transmitted through generations for its deep-rooted spiritual significance. The curved patterns that join the dots reveal the infinity of the universe and denote sound waves. An auspicious symbol evolved with designs and materials used, Rangoli creates a sense of balance. It brings prosperity, good health, and bliss to the house and transcends space and time.

The original word for ‘Akash kandil’ is ‘Akashdeep’. Nowadays, ‘ghee-lamp’ has been replaced by an electric lamp; therefore, it is called ‘Akash kandil’. The atmosphere around the house is purified due to hanging Akash kandil outside the main door of house. It’s another form that is hung inside the ‘Vaastu’ (house) is known as ‘Laaman-Diva’. The concept of ‘Akashdeep’ originated during ‘Tretayuga’. People expressed their joy by hanging ‘Akashdeep’ to welcome the atmosphere which had purified with the ‘chaitanya (divine consciousness)’ of Shrirama at the time of His coronation ceremony. The original shape of ‘Akashdeep’ is like a pot (kalash). It is mainly made of clay. It has circular holes in the center and on upper side at 1-2 inches on the circumference of the pot. Inside the pot, clay seat is made to keep ghee-lamp. ‘Akashdeep’ is hung outside the main door on right hand side (looking from inside the house) (Right side is a symbol of activated energy). At twilight, akshata (Unbroken rice grains, usually smeared with Kumkum) are kept on clay seat inside the pot on which the ghee-lamp is placed. A clay cover with a pointed top is placed over the pot. The first Akash kandil or Akashdeep thus hung by people in their houses at the time of coronation ceremony of Shriram during ‘Tretayuga’

In the darkness of night, one is unable to see clay ‘Akashdeep’ or “Akash kandil” but the lamp which is lit inside the ‘kalash’ emits light through the row of holes and it looks as if every hole is a flame of lamp, therefore, ‘Akashdeep’ or Akash kandil appears to be a cluster of flames in the shape of ‘kalash’. The halo is faintly spread around the ‘Kalash’, .and it looks very attractive as if a flow of light is gushing outside the ‘kalash’. The ‘Akashdeep’ or ‘Akash kandil’ hung in the courtyards at the time of coronation of Shriram in ‘Tretayuga’ was therefore named as ‘Jyoti kalash.’ During the period of Diwali, frequencies which are downward in nature and associated with frequencies of Water (Aap)- Principle (Tattva) start getting transmitted in upward direction. It causes heaviness in the atmosphere increasing negative components in the house which pollute the whole ‘Vaastu’. Akash kandil is, therefore, hung even before the start of Diwali to stop such pollution. Akash kandil has ‘Teja (Fire)’ Principle (Tattva); so, waves getting activated from upward and which have water-tattva get controlled by waves of ‘Tej’ Tattva; therefore, waves of Water Principle which are active from upward, are brought under control and the waves of Tej Tattva, creating awakening, start moving around the house in circular manner; therefore, Akash kandil is hung outside house.

Phrases like ‘muh meetha kijiye’ or ‘kuch meetha ho jaaye’ are ever so famous in India. They translate to ‘sweeten one’s mouth’ and ‘let’s have some sweet’ in Hindi. These phrases can be heard in India at any time of the year. Any auspicious occasion including a festival, birth of a child, buying a new vehicle or appliance to fixing a wedding or sometimes even going out to write an exam, sweets are always contemporary. A part of Indian life is coherent with having sweets as a major part of day-to-day activities.
Now when it comes to a blockbuster and bombastic festival like Diwali, there is absolutely no way that the festival can pass without having sweet delicacies. In fact, households start preparing the sweets as early as ten days before the festival. Surprising, isn’t it?

Well, not really. The offering of sweets in India has always held greater definitions than simple offering. Sweets are a trademark of joy, happiness and most importantly a token of love to fellow beings. By offering sweets, Indians express gratitude, respect and acknowledge the presence of others in their life. It is a method of conveying to others that ‘they matter’.

During Diwali, the mere reason for distributing, making, or eating sweets is the plain idea of celebration. Let’s agree, we are all soulfully connected to the indulgence of sweets that there is hardly anyone with any dislike against sweets. The actual reason behind the celebration of Diwali, however, is to commemorate the return of Lord Rama with his wife Sita and brother Laxman after a legendary victory over demon king Ravana. Metaphorically, the prodigious return of Lord Rama symbolizes the dawn of happiness after a long period of despair. It is the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, right over wrong. Cleaning and decorating of houses, the poojas, bursting of crackers and most importantly distributing sweets is a miniscule attempt to celebrate this legendary chronicle by spreading happiness amongst one another.

There are hundreds of varieties of sweets and snacks that are made during Diwali. Families, neighbors, colonies, towns, cities, states, and the entire country joins together in preparing these sweets and celebrating this festival. And the one significant object that binds them together is the diversity in each of these sweets prepared in different regions. A simple act of love in the form of distributing sweets transcends the diversity of the entire country. In hindsight, that defines the importance of sweets and the festival of Diwali in India.

Desi authentic brings to you the festival of joy in the form of sweets. Allow us to spread some love towards you this festive season, for you are the sole reason behind our success. Indulge in the finest offering at Desi authentic this Diwali. Find an exclusive offering of Diwali sweets at Desi authentic that you can offer to your loved ones. We have sweets especially made for fitness freaks, healthy eaters and even diabetics. Because why should anybody miss out on a lovely festival like Diwali?
Happy Diwali!

Aryan Rana,6-E,Fahaheel Al-Watanieh Indian Private School, Ahmadi Kuwait (FAIPS DPS)