Getting busy in (or contributing to) beautication of the interior and façade of your home, office or factory premises in the festival of lights is OK. A clean uncluttered ambience helps usher positive vibes. Yet remember. Since man’s true self is divine, cleansing of your mental drawing room is not less significant … so that inner light keeps aflame.
In all communities and faiths, light has been associated with knowledge, awakening and prosperity. Two festivals of current Hindu month of Kartik, on full-moon day (Purnima) and no-moon day (Amavasya) i.e. Guru Parv of the Sikh and Diwali of the Hindu illuminate the entire residential and institutional ambience of the nation with lights of candles, diyas and electric bulbs. A diya or lamp is believed to ward off evil powers and to augur well for inmates. In wintry nights, early men danced around fire to vent off days drudgery to awake next morning fresh & rejuvenated. Our reverence for light stems from our primeaval instinct to worship Fire, one of the cardinal elements.
Diya & candle: integral to festivities of all faiths
Candles are ignited in the religious ceremonies of most faiths. Most Hindus lit oil lamp at sanctum before the Gods at dusk. Among Christians, the sanctuary lamp to “keep a flame burning perpetually” is always placed before the tabernacle. A Gospel Book is invariably read in candle light since “Christ is the Light that enlightens all”. The devotees offer wax candles in front of important icons around church, and pray for both the living and the dead. Candle is also integral part of worship among followers of Buddhism, Judaism and Islam. Lamp or candle lighting is not confined to religious or cultural festivities like birthdays, marriage, baptism, convocation, etc. but continues to be essential part of inaugurating a governmental, scientific or other meeting, conference or foundation-laying of a residential, official, industrial or commercial premises.
More meaningful than lighting the lamp without is fighting inner ignorance. The divine flame within is indomitable, as Maya Angelou said: Nothing can dim the light that shines from within. Further, “darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that,” said Martin Luther King, Jr. Removal of darkness within reveals to us that each of us is a star wrapped in skin.
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The article, originally published in Hindustan Times (Inner Voice column) four years ago, can also be accessed at:
https://www.pressreader.com/india/hindustan-times-gurugram/20181114/282114932603861
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