Diwali Festival: A Glow of Hope During the Pandemic

In India the summer season, and the monsoons that come with it, are now over and are followed by the cool wind of the festival season. Its highlight? Diwali, also known as the festival of lights. It is one of the most significant celebrations for Hindus as it marks the Hindu new year and symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. The festival began as a Hinduistic tradition but has come to be celebrated by Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs as well. This year with the pandemic upon us, which has deprived us from celebrating our most important moments, Diwali will be celebrated but in a very different way. It will be commemorated in a more private manner, with masses and public festivities being forbidden [1]. However, the light will be lit and the darkness will be defeated once more!

What is Diwali

The word Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit word dipavali which means “row of lights” [2]. The festival lasts five days with the third being the most important. It begins on the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika, which falls between October and November in the Gregorian calendar. This year the Diwali starts at the 12th of November, with the highlight of the festival being the 14th 2020.

traditional Indian diya lit up — Photo by Vinayak Dixit on Unsplash

The Myth

There are many versions of the legends connected to Diwali. According to the place you find yourselves in you might hear a variant of the myths [3].

Hindus celebrate the birthday of Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity, which is believed to be the same day as Diwali and it also coincides with her marriage to Vishnu, one of the main Hindu gods. To honour Lakshmi, people light up candles, called diyas, and place them at their homes, their stores and on the streets.

Another version dictates Diwali is the celebration of the homecoming of King Rama and his wife, Queen Sita, from a 14-year exile after defeating the 10-headed demon Ravana.

No matter which version you know the quintessence of the festival stays the same; the triumph of good over evil and of light over darkness.

Glow of Hope

In the spirit of the festival, in 1945-46, painter S.L. Haldankar made the painting Glow of Hope in which he depicts his 3rd daughter, Gita, in her beautiful festival saree holding a diya [4].

An Indian girl with a pink-lavender saree holding a diya, covering its light with her hand. — S. L. Haldankar’s *Glow of Hope.* Retrieved from Google.

The painter conceived the idea when he saw his 14-year-old daughter at their home lighting some diyas. He asked her to put on a saree and hold her hand over the light so that it wouldn’t be blown off. The result was this breathtaking painting. It radiates with calmness while it maintains its simplicity. Haldankar managed to capture the essence of Diwali, the contrast of light versus darkness, a light that springs from within the human soul and carries the tradition through generations.

Glow of Hope: The Poem

I stumbled across the painting by chance, searching for inspiration for a poem. It just popped out in front of my eyes as if it was calling me to notice it. After reading its backstory I was immediately enchanted. What a deep and touching story it had. For some reason it seemed so personal, like the painter was opening his house to the onlooker- to us. Diving deeper into the painting’s story and into the Diwali tradition I knew that I simply had to write an ekphrastic poem about it. I felt I had the obligation to pay tribute to this painter and his beautiful drawing because it certainly lit my glow of hope!

The dimly lit room.
Your candle casts its golden light 
your face illuminates; a light catcher
so graceful, so natural
your saree, a cobweb of lavender
caressing smoothly your blooming body

My daughter, keep the light alive 
protect it in your caring hand
Lakshmi’s golden bless
lies within the candlelight 
Rama’s victory, humbly radiates
our gloomy house

My ray of light 
my perfect bēṭī
my glow of hope

bēṭī= daughter

While Diwali is an Indian religious tradition and not all of us might be Indian there are some values we should hold dear, from which we will benefit. During these dark times we are experiencing it is important to find the good and the light in things and not to be consumed by darkness. Do not lose the fight over the 10-headed demon. Follow Rama’s footsteps and defeat it by bringing light to your heart and radiating it towards the misfortunes. You are stronger than you think. May the Glow of Hope shine within you always!