Hindu Community To Celebrate Diwali Tomorrow

The Hindu community living across the globe including Pakistan is all set to celebrate their festival of lights,

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Nov, 2018 ) :The Hindu community living across the globe including Pakistan is all set to celebrate their festival of lights, "Diwali" on November 7 with religious zeal and fervor.

With a tradition of decorating their premises with colourful intricate patterned Rangoli, the festival primarily focus on spreading light in every corner and destroy the reign of darkness on the night of Diwali as people light up their houses with clay lamps, electric bulbs and other decorative electric lighting fixtures to make their surroundings filled with colourful light and to make it bright and beautiful.

The festivity will continue for 5 days until Saturday, (November 11). The Hindu festival of lights fall on the day of 'Amavasyaa', when the moon does not rise and there is darkness all around. Light, being symbol of hope and positive energy, indicates the victory of good over evil.

Hindu minority residing in Pakistan will also celebrate their event at their temples through gatherings of Hindu families and decorating their houses and temples with colourful lights mainly in Sindh province.

Organizations like Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) and other small organizations have arranged some events to celebrate the festival in traditional way and exchange greetings.

Talking to APP, President Pakistan Hindu Council, Gopal Khamuani felicitated the Hindus on the occasion of Diwali saying the festival of lights strengthens the true ethical values and brings peace, prosperity, progress and happiness to all sections of the society and promotes goodwill among all communities.

He said Diwali is a harbinger of peace, joy and prosperity. It celebrates the victory of good over evil, and the spreading of the light of learning. It is a festival in which all communities rejoice in amity and friendship and celebrate the solidarity of the nation.

He said the people other than Hindu religion should also come forward to help the deserving Hindus living across the country and share their happiness on this occasion.

"Our Hindu religion preaches peace and brotherhood, we are living in Pakistan before partition, it is our country and we have to work collectively to make Pakistan prosperous and progressive," he added.

Deepavali, the very name of this festival reveals its meaning. The festival is all about lighting "diyas". Later the term 'Deepawali' became 'Diwali'. Deepawali or Diwali is also known as 'the festival of lights'. Celebrated usually in the month of October or November, Diwali bears significance in the Hindu culture as well as among Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains.

The legends connected to the festival are different for different religions.

During this festival one after another, people get a chance to celebrate five ceremonious occasions. They put on new apparels and participate in the various activities that are related celebrations and light crackers, manage cleanliness, make colorful rangoli and participate in social gatherings to exchange greetings and share sweets with others. It is a festival filled with spiritualism and religious activities, such as worship of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha, Ma Kali, Lord Chitragupta and Govardhan Parvat.

The celebration of the five-day long festival begins on Aswayuja Bahula Chaturdashi and concludes on Kartika Shudha Vijaya. The first day starts with 'Dhan Trayodashi' or 'Dhanteras'. The second day is 'Narak Chaturdashi', which is popular as 'Chhoti Diwali'. The third day is also called 'Badi Diwali' is the main day of celebrations. People perform Lakshmi Pujan (worship of divine Goddess Lakshmi) and offer prayers to her to bless them with wealth and prosperity. The fourth day is devoted to Govardhan Pooja (worship of Lord Govardhan Parvat), while the fifth day is Bhai Dooj, the time to honor the brother-sister relationship.