Diwali, also known as festival of lights, is a beautiful festival celebrated every year in India. During this festival the main highlight is the decoration done to houses and some public places. The lights and diyas are always a wonderful sight and fill everyone’s hearts with happiness.

The main significance of diyas is that they help us move from darkness to light. It represents purity, goodness, good luck and power. When Rama and Sita returned after fourteen years of exile, the people decided to celebrate this joyous occasion by lighting lamps on the streets. Many actually don’t know about the deeper meaning in diya. The oil in the diya symbolises the dirt in the human mind, such as greed, jealousy, hatred,etc.

The cotton in the diya is symbolic of the atma or the self or the soul. The diya presents light when the oil is burnt by the wick. Hence, lighting of the diyas signifies that one needs to get rid of the selfish and bad thoughts. As per Indian tradition, it is recommended that one should purchase diyas on Ashwin Purnima, which is a full moon day, 15 days prior to Diwali. Then the diyas are supposed to be soaked in water till they are saturated and then they are ready for the Diwali puja.