I want send a message to my friend on diwali festival. so give nice quotations on this festival?

One who can give everything, one who can bestow totality, one who can transform a gain of sand that is the disciple into a universe, one who can transform a drop of water into elixir showering cloud is the Guru. Life means separation...... and only after he has been separated from his loving master can a disciple gain the eagerness to rush and fuse himself totally in the Guru. One needs a fervour, an enthusiasm, an eagerness in one's heart to get up and rush to the Guru. True life means the ability to give up all one has. One should be filled with a craziness, a zeal ...... and one who has no such enthusiasm is nothing but ice. Such a life cannot be like a swift flowing river. A limited, restricted existence is meaningless. A disciple is one who is filled with a restlessness, an uneasiness. He should be packed with the determination, the eagerness to achieve the true goal of life as soon as possible. He thinks - I have started on this path and I have to rush and reach the place where it ends. That is my goal and that is totality of life. This is the only thought that a disciple ever has. Fusion of an ordinary human being in Brahma or the Supreme is the highest goal of life. This is the unique process that transforms a grain of sand into a bright sun. This is the most exalted way of life and it leads to divinity. And when such a transformation occurs in the life of a disciple he becomes fully aware and enlightened. He then has no hesitation in getting onto the streets and singing and dancing in sheer ecstasy. People call him mad, stone him, abuse him, try to poison him, but he worries not and he cares not what they think. A disciple keeps burning in the agony of separation till he fuses into his deity or his Guru. No doctor can then help him, for only the Guru, his loving master can cure him. Only when he succeeds in manifesting the divine does he feel satiated. His only thought is that when the loved one appears he would fuse himself completely in His divine form. When such a deep love rises in the heart of a disciple or a Sadhak, he is filled with a unique tenderness, affection and kindness. Such a disciple's only thought is - Life is useless, totally worthless if I am not able to realise Brahma. What is the aim of life without this realisation? Without it my existence is useless. And to achieve this realisation I am ready to lose all that I have. I am ready to lose my identity and even my life. I am ready and all I want is my beloved, for meeting him is the only goal of my life. The day one's heart starts to rule one's life, the day one does not feel like listening to the so called wise words of others, the day when even the chains of society fail to stop one from rushing to Him one should know it that the heart, the soul has been activated. Then one should know that a torch of revolution has been lit in one's heart and that one is finally ready to fuse totally in the Guru. And the day this happens, the day such a transformation starts the emotions of the heart are no longer in one's control. The day a deep thirst, a deep longing to realise the Guru, the deity rises in the heart, a disciple declares - Your love shines in my heart, I know you, I well recognise you. If you want I can go and tell this to everyone in world. I can go and show them that I hide your love within, that I am overflowing with tender emotions. To realise a Guru means to fuse completely in Him, to link oneself completely with His soul. But which path leads to this realisation? It is the path of love, the path that asks you to give up everything that you have, the path that expects you to completely forget yourself. When one is close to the Guru, when one feels a tender bond of love with him tears well up in the eyes the moment one remembers him. And this drop of tear is not ordinary, for it reflects the love for one who is Omnipresent, hence it is a microcosm in itself, it is an ocean of divinity in itself. And there is no greater joy than the feel of it trickling down the cheek. If no tears spring up in the eyes when one remembers one's loved one then life as a human has no meaning. And it is not love if the picture of the loved one does not spring into one's mind as soon as one closes the eyes. What is love, if not a drop of tear in which all one's emotions have been concentrated and which flows out from the corner of one's eye and tells all the world that one is in love. And this single tear forces the loved one whether it is the Guru or the Lord to take notice, to appear and to shower divinity upon the disciple. Those who are fearful of losing their heads, who are afraid to lose themselves completely can never have any deep feelings in their hearts and can never be filled with the eagerness to rush to the loved one. One has to lose all in love, one has to forget everything. Only then does the seed of love germinates. The sapling of love grows only when there is a longing in the seed to lose itself in the soil. Only one who can lose everything can gain all. If you wish to achieve Siddhi (total mastery) in Sadhanas you shall have to learn true love, you shall have to learn how to devote each breath to Him. And the day you start loving the Guru, your breath shall not be your own. You shall be breathing for Him. And through that very breath He shall instill the power of Siddhis into you.

LIGHT THE LIGHT TO DELIGHT ALL AROUND YOU KEEPING AWAY FROM THE DARKNESS [IF ANY] SURROUNDED

Source Diwali Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs in India and all over the world. It is a five-day celebration occurring in October or November. Diwali was Saturday, October 21, 2006 this year. It is Friday, November 09, 2007 next year. Festivals in India are characterized by color, gaiety, enthusiasm, prayers and rituals. Foreign travelers are struck by the scale and multiplicity of Indian festivals that have evolved in the society. Diwali, the popular festival of Indians, celebrates the return of Lord Rama and Sita from exile. Diwali is also called as the festival of lights. It usually falls between 15th October and 15th November. It is celebrated because on that day hundreds of years ago lord ram returned home to Ayodhya after 14 years of being into exile. It also celebrates the day Mother Goddess destroyed a demon called 'Mahisha' & Victory of Good over evil. The day is celebrated by lighting lamps, diyas, visiting relatives, feasting, and displaying fireworks. DIWALI -THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Links for Indian Festivals:- Diwali Festival in India, Diwali India, Diwali Pictures Holi ecards Other Festivals in India. The word festival means feast day, festive celebration. As kids, when there used to be festivals the only thing that came to our minds was holidays and sweets that in turn meant lots of fun. India being a society of may religions there are a lot many festivals. For the Hindus there is diwali, for the Muslims there is id, for the Christians its Christmas and for the Parsis it’s the New Year and apart from all these days there are two other days that are celebrated by all Indians irrespective of cast, creed or sex. Yes, its 26th January and 15th August. i.e. republic day and the Independence Day Dusshera in India is another festival celebrated by the Hindus. It marks the victory of good over evil. On that day lord ram killed the evil Ravana. On dusshera an effigy of Ravana is burnt at many places. Ramzan Id is the most important festival in the Muslim calendar. A month long fasting and prayers is followed by Ramzan Id. It’s said that during this month all the prayers and wishes of an individual comes true. Christmas in India - Christmas marks the birth of Jesus Christ on 25th December every year and is an inseparable part of Christians all over the country and the world. Santa Claus, gifts, cakes, cookies, and the beautifully decorated Christmas tree with a midnight mass depicts he beginning of Christmas. Easter is another important festival for Christians. It’s usually falls in the month of March or April. 40 days fast is followed by Good Friday and Easter. On this day Jesus Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Easter eggs and Easter bunnies are a major attraction during Easter. Parsi New Year is one of the most important days in the Parsi community. It marks the beginning of a New Year filled with joy and prosperity. 15th august is celebrated by all Indians because on this day in the year 1947 India received independence from the British rule in India. Holi is another festival that is celebrated by all communities. It’s a festival of colours. It marks the beginning of summer season and so water balloons are burst to beat the heat. Some other festivals that are celebrated happily all over the country are Onam, Baisakhi, Pongal, Mahavir Jayanti, Buddha Jayanti, Guru Purnima, Raksha Bandhan, Krishna Janmashtami, Gandhi Jayanti, Kumbh Mela, Children’s day, Ganesh Chaturthi and many many more festivals. Festivals bring joy and happiness in our lives. If we celebrate all festivals alike we can spread the message of joy, happiness, brotherhood and humanity among one another and live as one family and community. Diwali festival is a 5 day Hindu festival in India which occurs on the fifteenth day of Kartika. Diwali when translated means "rows of lighted lamps" and the occasion is also referred to as the Festival of Lights. During Diwali, Indian homes are cleaned and windows are opened to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Lamps, lights and candles are lit as a greeting to Goddess Laksmi. Gifts are exchanged and sweets, festive meals are prepared during Diwali. Because there are many castes and regions in India, there are myriad manifestations of the Diwali festival. In some places, the festival begins with Dhanteras, a day set aside to worship Laksmi. In the Indian culture, wealth is not viewed as a corruptive power. Instead, a wealthy person is considered to have been rewarded for good deeds of a past life, i.e karma. On the second day of the festival, Kali, the goddess of Strength, is worshipped. On the 3rd day ( the last day of the year in the lunar calendar), lamps are lighted and shine brightly in homes. The lamp symbolizes knowledge. The fourth day of Diwali falls on the first day of the lunar New Year. At this time, old business accounts are settled and new books are opened. The books are worshipped in a special ceremony by Indian priests and participants are encouraged to remove anger, hate, and jealousy from their lives. On the last day (Balipratipada) of the festival, Bali, an ancient Indian king, is recalled and remembered. Bali destroyed the centuries old philosophies of the society. However, in addition to this, he is remembered for being a generous and kind person. Hence, the significance of this day is to see the good in others, including enemies. The Jain communities of India celebrate Diwali as a New Year's Day. Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, attained his Nirvana on the day of Diwali. Sikhs celebrate Diwali to express joy at the return of the sixth Guru to Amritsar in 1620; Emperor Jahangir had imprisoned him along with 52 Hindu kings. The Guru was granted freedom but refused to leave until the kings were also released. Diwali is by far the most enthusiastically enjoyed festival in India. People of different nationalities, races, religions and backgrounds come together to share their joys generating a feeling of universal brotherhood and inter-religious harmony. Links for How children can celebrate Diwali / Diwali links. Hobby Classes for Diwali in Mumbai ( Bombay) India - Here, students can learn candles for Diwali. Also create rangoli art, toran making, diya decoration, paper bags, envelopes, gift boxes, gift wrapping, calligraphy, Diwali chocolates and cakes & more http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk - Students learn about diwali. Includes some diwali poems. http://www.wwfindia.org/ - An essay about the high pollution levels at the time of Diwali. http://www.cleanindia. - Learn what students can do to Keep Diwali clean and pollution free. http://www.ucls.uchicago.edu/ - Children celebrating diwali and some rangoli art pictures. http://news.bbc.co.uk/ - A BBC report about Children and diwali festival in India. http://enquirer.com/ - Students celebrating diwali outside India. http://www.indev.nic.in/pravah/campaigns.html - Say No to Crackers - A campaign by school kids to promote social responsibility Diwali (Divali, Dewali, Deepavali) --------------------------------------… Diwali is a five day Hindu festival which occurs on the fifteenth day of Kartika. Diwali means "rows of lighted lamps" and the celebration is often referred to as the Festival of Lights. During this time, homes are thoroughly cleaned and windows are opened to welcome Laksmi, goddess of wealth. Candles and lamps are lit as a greeting to Laksmi. Gifts are exchanged and festive meals are prepared during Diwali. The celebration means as much to Hindus as Christmas does to Christians. Because there are many regions in India, there are many manifestations of the Diwali festival. In at least one area, the festival begins with Dhanteras, a day set aside to worship Laksmi. In the Indian culture, wealth is not viewed as a corruptive power. Instead, a wealthy person is considered to have been rewarded for good deeds of a past life. On the second day Kali, the goddess of Strength, is worshipped. This day also focuses on abolishing laziness and evil. On the third day (the last day of the year in the lunar calendar), lamps are lighted and shine brightly in every home. The lamp symbolizes knowledge and encourages reflection upon the purpose of each day in the festival. The goal is to remember the purpose throughout the year. The fourth day of Diwali falls on the first day of the lunar New Year. At this time, old business accounts are settled and new books are opened. The books are worshipped in a special ceremony and participants are encouraged to remove anger, hate, and jealousy from their lives. On the final day (Balipratipada) of the festival, Bali, an ancient Indian king, is recalled. Bali destroyed the centuries old philosophies of the society. However, in addition to this, he is remembered for being a generous person. Thus, the focus of this day is to see the good in others, including enemies. Because there is no one universally accepted Hindu calendar, this holiday may be celebrated on a different date in some parts of India, but it always falls in the months of October or November. 2005 Happy Diwali from Rumela's Web WOMEN'S DIARY VACATION DRESS RECIPES GREETINGS EVENTS Home > Events > Diwali Diwali Bhai Dooj / Phota Kali Puja Diwali for Others Send Greetings Diwali Recipe History Celebration Tradition India Kali Temple Overseas Kali Temple Kali Puja Greetings Diwali is a five day Hindu festival which occurs on the fifteenth day of Kartika. During this time, homes are thoroughly cleaned and windows are opened to welcome Laksmi, goddess of wealth.Candles and lamps are lit as a greeting to Laksmi. Gifts are exchanged and festive meals are prepared during Diwali. Diwali, being the festival of lights, thousands of lamps are lit in and outside every home on the day. Lamp or “Deep” is the symbol of knowledge. Lighting the lamp of knowledge within us means to understand and reflect upon the significant purpose of each of the five days of festivities and to bring those thoughts in to our day to day lives. The first day of Diwali: The first day of Diwali is called Dhanvantari Triodasi or Dhanwantari Triodasi also called Dhan Theras .It is in fact the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksh (the dark forthnight) of the month of Kartik. On this day, Lord Dhanwantari came out of the ocean with Ayurvedic medicine (medicine which promotes healthy long life) for mankind. This day marks the beginning of Diwali celebrations. On this day at sunset,Hindus should bathe and offer a lighted deeya with Prasad (sweets offered at worship time) to Yama Raj (the Lord of Death) and pray for protection from untimely death. This offering should be made near a Tulsie tree (the Holy Basil) or any other sacred tree that one might have in their yard. If there is no sacred tree, a clean place in the front yard will suffice. The second day of Diwali: The second day of Diwali is called Narak Chaturdasi. It is the fourteenth lunar day (thithi) of the dark forthnight of the month of Kartik and the eve of Diwali. On this day Lord Krishna destroyed the demon Narakasur and made the world free from fear. On this day, we should massage our bodies with oil to relieve it of tiredness, bathe and rest so that we can celebrate Diwali with vigour and devotion. On this night, Yama Deeya should NOT be lit. The Shastras (Laws of Dharma) declares that Yama Deeya should be offered on Triodasi night with Prasad. The misconception that Yama Deeya should be offered on the night before Diwali came about some years ago when the fourteenth lunar day (Chaturdasi) was of a very short duration and caused Triodasi to extend into the night before Diwali. Some people mistook it to mean that because Yama Deeya was lit on that night, that it should always be lit on the night before Diwali. This is absolutely not true. It is advisable that one consults with a learned Pandit or Hindu Astrologer for proper guidance on this matter. The third day of Diwali: Actual Diwali This is the day when worship unto Mother Lakshmi is performed. Hindus cleanse themselves and join with their families and their Pandit (priest) and they worship the divine Goddess Lakshmi to achieve the blessings of wealth and prosperity, the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. The fourth day of Diwali. On this day, Goverdhan Pooja is performed. Many thousands of years ago, Lord Krishna caused the people of Vraja to perform Goverdhan Pooja. From then on, every year Hindus worship Goverdhan to honour that first Pooja done by the people of Vraja. It is written in the Ramayan that when the bridge was being built by the Vanar army, Hanuman (a divine loyal servant of Lord Rama possessing enormous strength) was bringing a mountain as material to help with the construction of the bridge. The call was given that enough materials was already obtained. Hanuman placed the mountain down before He could have reached the construction site. Due to lack of time, He could not have returned the mountain to its original place. The deity presiding over this mountain spoke to Hanuman asking of His reason for leaving the mountain there. Hanuman replied that the mountain should remain there until the age of Dwapar when Lord Rama incarnates as Lord Krishna in the form of man. He, Lord Krishna will shower His grace on the mountain and will instruct that the mountain be worshiped not only in that age but but in ages to come. This deity whom Hanuman spoke to was none other than Goverdhan (an incarnation of Lord Krishna),who manifested Himself in the form of the mountain. To fulfill this decree, Goverdhan Pooja was performed and is continued to be performed today. The fifth day of Diwali. The fifth day of the diwali is called Bhratri Dooj. This is the day after Goverdhan Pooja is performed and normally two days after Diwali day. It is a day dedicated to sisters. We have heard about Raksha Bandhan (brothers day). Well this is sisters day. Many moons ago,in the Vedic era, Yama (Yamraj, the Lord of death) visited His sister Yamuna on this day. He gave his sister a Vardhan (a boon) that whosoever visits her on this day shall be liberated from all sins. They will achieve Moksha or final emancipation. From then on, brothers visit their sisters on this day to enquire of their welfare. This day marks the end of the five days of Diwali celebrations. This is also known as Bhai fota among Bengalis. Bhai fota is an event especially among Bengalis when the sister prays for her brother's safety, success and well being. 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All Rights Reserved, a part of the Laugh Network THE STORY OF DIWALI This Diwali which leads us into Truth and Light is celebrated on a nation-wide scale on Naraka chathurthasi day just on the dawn of Ammavaasa during the Hindu month of Aippasi Month in Tamil Language(Aaso/Aasvayuja/Asvina Months in Hindi langauge)(September/October) every year. It symbolises that age-old culture of our country which teaches us to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge. Diwali, the festival of lights even to-day in this modern world projects the rich and glorious past of our country and teaches us to uphold the true values of life. The word "Diwali" is the corruption of the Sanskrit word "Deepavali" -- Deepa meaning light and Avali, meaning a row. It means a row of lights and indeed illumination forms its main attraction. Every home - lowly or mightly - the hut of the poor or the mansion of the rich - is alit with the orange glow of twinkling diyas-small earthen lamps - to welcome Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Multi-coloured Rangoli (the design of the background of this page is of rangoli, also people drawn with rice flour on the grounds into their house, rangoli)designs, floral decorations and fireworks lend picturesness and grandeur to this festival which heralds joy, mirth and happiness in the ensuring year. This festival is celebrated on a grand scale in almost all the regions of India and is looked upon mainly as the beginning of New Year. As such the blessings of Lakshmi, the celestial consort of Lord Vishnu are invoked with prayers. Even countries like Kenya, Thailand, Trinidad, Siam and Malaya celebrate this festival but in their own ways. This Diwali festival, it is surmised dates back to that period when perhaps history was not written, and in its progress through centuries it lighted path of thousands to attain the ultimate good and complete ecstasy. Diwali or more aptly Deepavali is very enthusiastically celebrated for five continuous days and each day has its significance with a number of myths, legends and beliefs. The First day is called DHANTERAS or DHANTRAYODASHI which falls on the thirteenth day of the month of Kartik. The word "Dhan" means wealth. As such this day of the five-day Diwali festival has a great importance for the rich mercantile community of Western India. Houses and Business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colourful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the nights. Believing this day to be auspicious women purchase some gold or silver or at least one or two new utensils. "Lakshmi-Puja" is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. "Bhajans"-devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and "Naivedya" of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya. In villages cattles are adorned and worshipped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshipped on this day. A very interesting story about this day is of the sixteen year old son of King Hima. As per his horoscope he was doomed to die by a snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage. On that particular fourth day of his marriage his young wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid all the ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a big heap at the entrance of her husband's boudoir and lighted innumerable lamps all over the place. And she went on telling stories and singing songs. When Yam, the god of Death arrived there in the guise of a Serpent his eyes got blinded by that dazzle of those brilliant lights and he could not enter the Prince's chamber. So he climbed on top of the heap of the ornaments and coins and sat there whole night listening to the melodious songs. In the morning he quietly went away. Thus the young wife saved her husband from the clutches of death. Since then this day of Dhanteras came to be known as the day of "YAMADEEPDAAN" and lamps are kept burning throughout the night in reverential adoration to Yam, the god of Death. The SECOND day is called NARKA-CHATURDASHI or CHOTI DIWAL which falls on the fourteenth day of the month of Kartik. The story goes that the demon king Narakasur ruler of Pragjyotishpur ( a province to the South of Nepal) after defeating Lord Indra had snatched away the magnificent earrings of Aditi, the Mother Goddess and imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters of the gods and saints in his harem. On the day previous to Narakachaturdashi, Lord Krishna killed the demon and liberated the imprisoned damsels and also recovered those precious earrings of Aditi. As a symbol of that victory Lord Krishna smeared his forehead with the demon king's blood. Krishna returned home in the very early morning of the Narakachaturdashi day. The womenfolk massaged scented oil to his body and gave him a good bath to wash away the filth from his body. Since then the custom of taking bath before sunrise on this day has become a traditional practice specially in Maharashtra. In South India that victory of the divine over the mundane is celebrated in a very peculiar way. People wake up before sunrise prepare blood by mixing Kumkum in oil and after breaking a bitter fruit that represents the head of the demon King that was smashed by Krishna, apply that mixture on their foreheads. Then they have an oil bath using sandalwood paste. In Maharashtra also, traditional early baths with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of gram flour and fragrant powders are a `must'. All through the ritual of baths, deafening sounds of crackers and fireworks are there in order that the children enjoy bathing. Afterwards steamed vermiceli with milk and sugar or puffed rice with curd is served. Another legend is about King Bali of the nether world mighty power had become a threat to the gods. In order to curb his powers Lord Vishnu in the guise of a Batu Waman- a small boy- visited him and begged him to give him only that much land which he could cover with his three steps. Known for his philanthropy King Bali proudly granted him his wish. That very moment that small boy transformed himself into the all-powerful Lord Vishnu. With his first step Lord Vishnu covered the entire heaven and with the second step the earth and asked Bali where to keep his third step. Bali offered his head. Putting his foot on his head Vishnu pushed him down to the underworld. At the same time for his generosity Lord Vishnu gave him the lamp of knowledge and allowed him to return to earth once a year to light millions of lamps to dispel the darkness and ignorance and spread the radiance of love and wisdom. This Narakachaturdashi day therefore is dedicated to lights and prayers heralding a future full of joy and laughter. The THIRD day of the festival of Diwali is the most important day of LAKSHMI-PUJA which is entirely devoted to the propitiation of Goddess Lakshmi. This day is also known by the name of "CHOPADA-PUJA". On this very day sun enters his second course and passes Libra which is represented by the balance or scale. Hence, this design of Libra is believed to have suggested the balancing of account books and their closing. Despite the fact that this day falls on an amavasya day it is regarded as the most auspicious. The day of Lakshmi-Puja falls on the dark night of Amavasya. The strains of joyous sounds of bells and drums float from the temples as man is invoking Goddess Lakshmi in a wondrous holy "pouring-in" of his heart. All of a sudden that impenetrable darkness is pierced by innumerable rays of light for just a moment and the next moment a blaze of light descends down to earth from heaven as golden-footed Deep-Lakshmi alights on earth in all her celestial glory amidst chantings of Vedic hymns. A living luminance of Universal Motherhood envelopes the entire world in that blessed moment of fulfillment of a long-awaited dream of the mortal. A sublime light of knowledge dawns upon humanity and devotion of man finally conquers ignorance. This self enlightenment is expressed through the twinkling lamps that illuminate the palaces of the wealthy as well as the lowly abodes of the poor. It is believed that on this day Lakshmi walks through the green fields and loiters through the bye-lanes and showers her blessings on man for plenty and prosperity. When the sun sets in the evening and ceremonial worship is finished all the home-made sweets are offered to the goddess as "NAIVEDYA" and distributed as "PRASAD". Feasts are arranged and gifts are exchanged on this day gaily dressed men, women and children go to temples and fairs, visit friends and relatives. Everything is gay, gold and glitter! One of the most curious customs which characterises this festival of Diwali is the indulgence of gambling, specially on a large scale in North India. It is believed that goddess Parvati played dice with her husband, Lord Shiv on this day and she decreed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night would prosper throughout the ensuring year. This tradition of playing cards- flush and rummy with stakes on this particular day continues even to-day. On this auspicious day Lord Shri Krishna around whom revolved the entire story of our great epic Mahabharat and the philosopher, who preached Karmayog through his Geeta to Arjun on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, discarded his body. Bhagwan, Mahavir, the Jain prophet also attained "Nirvan" on this day. Swami Ramtirth, the beloved "Ram Badshah" of millions of Indians was not only born on this day and took "Sanyas" but also took "Samadhi" on this day. Swami Dayanand Saraswati, founder of Arya Samaj in 1875 in Mumbai, with his superb yogic powers greed his soul from his body and mingled with divinity on this auspicious day of Diwali. We kindle innumerable lights on this day to immortalise the sacred memories of those great men who lived to brighten the lives of millions of their fellow beings. One very interesting story about this Diwali day is from Kathopanishad of a small boy called Nichiketa who believed that Yam, the god of Death was as black as the dark night of amavasya. But when he met Yam in person he was puzzled seeing Yam's calm countenance and dignified stature. Yam explained to Nichiketa on this Diwali day of amavasya that by only passing through the darkness of death, man sees the light of highest wisdom and then only his soul can escape from the bondage of his mortal frame to mingle with the Supreme Power without whose will not an at ton moves in the world. And then Nichiketa realised the importance of worldly life and significance of death. Nichiketa's all doubts were set at rest and he whole-heartedly participated in Diwali celebrations. The FOURTH day is PADWA or VARSHAPRATIPADA which marks the coronation of King Vikramaditya and Vikaram-Samvat was started from this Padwa day. Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North on this day. As per Vishnu-Puran the people of Gokul used to celebrate a festival in honour of Lord Indira and worshipped him after the end of every monsoon season but one particular year the young Krishna stopped them from offering prayers to Lord Indra who in terrific anger sent a deluge to submerge Gokul. But Krishna saved his Gokul by lifting up the Govardhan mountain and holding it over the people as an umbrella. Govardhan is a small hillock in Braj, near Mathura and on this day of Diwali people of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar build cowdung, hillocks, decorate them with flowers and then worship them. This day is also observed as Annakoot meaning mountain of food. In temples specially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are given milkbath, dressed in shining attires with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After the prayers and traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious sweets are ceremoniously raised in the form of a mountain before the deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees approach the Mountain of Food and take Prasad from it. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped in every Hindu household and her blessings sought for success and happiness. This day is looked upon as the most auspicious day to start any new venture. In many Hindu homes it is a custom for the wife to put the red tilak on the forehead of her husband, garland him and do his "Aarathi" with a prayer for his long life. In appreciation of all the tender care that the wife showers on him, the husband gives her a costly gift. This Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion between the wife and husband. On this day newly-married daughters with their husbands are invited for special meals and given presents. In olden days brothers went to fetch their sisters from their in-laws home for this important day. The FIFTH and final day of Diwali Festival is known by the name of "BHAYYA-DUJ" in the Hindi-speaking belt "BHAV-BIJ" in the Marathi-speaking communities and in Nepal by the name of "BHAI-TIKA". As the legend goes Yamraj, the God of Death visited his sister Yami on this particular day. She put the auspicious tilak on his forehead, garlanded him and led him with special dishes and both of them together ate the sweets, talked and enjoyed themselves to their heart's content, while parting Yamraj gave her a special gift as a token of his love and in return Yami also gave him a lovely gift which she had made with her own hands. That day Yamraj announced that anyone who receives tilak from his sister will never be thrown. That is why this day of Bhayyaduj is also known by the name of "YAMA-DWITIYA" Since then this day is being observed as a symbol of love between sisters and brothers. It became also imperative for the brother to go to his sister's house to celebrate Bhayyaduj. In today's world when pressing everyday problems are teaming as under all the tender words of personal relationships, the celebrating of this day has its own importance in continuing to maintain the love between brothers and sisters for it is the day of food-sharing, gift-giving and reaching out to the inner most depths of the hearts. Diwali on the whole has always been the festival with more social than religious connotations. It is a personal, people-oriented festival when enmities are forgotten, families and friends meet, enjoy and establish a word of closeness. As a festival of light and beauty it encourages artistic expressions through home-decorations stage-plays, elocution competitions singing and dancing programmes, making gift items and making delectable sweets thereby discovering new talents of younger people. As a result innumerable communities with varying cultures and customs mingle together to make Diwali celebrations a very happy occasion for all. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore has so aptly put forth the true significance of Diwali in these beautiful lines: The night is black Kindle the lamp of LOVE With thy life and devotion. This story was sent to me through a friend on e-mail. Hope you have enjoyed it! --------------------------------------… As many have visited this site and requested more information, I have created two new links about Diwali from slightly different viewpoints. Hope you will enjoy it! More on Diwali- FAQ Diwali Celebrations 2001 --------------------------------------… This page is maintained by Jennifer Polan. Build a Free Website Diwali Forum powered by bravenet.com Counter valid since 9/2001. Last Update June 2004. Diwali - the origin Newsletter Signup Cool Free Holiday Goodies Click to download now! --------------------------------------… Send a personalized gift to your friend Celebrate Ramadan & Diwali with your loved once and send out thoughtful gifts to be cherished through the season The history of Diwali, or to put it correctly, Deepavali, is replete with legends. And these legends are moored to the stories of Hindu religious scriptures, mostly the Purana(s). Though the central theme of all legends point out to the classic truth of the victory of the good over the evils, the mode of their presentation and the characters differ. Likewise the religion itself, the origin of Deepavali is dated back to a period when history was probably not used to be written. Still by some mystery the traditions of this epical celebration continue to be transpired from one century to another. And during this relentless course of journey it has continued to illuminate the path of thousands to attain the ultimate good and complete ecstasy. Origin | Tradition | New Year | Pujas and rites | Decorations | Rangoli | Fireworks | Recipes | Wallpapers | Back to Home | History | Diwali around the world | Send this page to your friends | Greeting cards | Diwali & Bhai Duj | Unique tips for diwali | Pre-Diwali Stress Buster | Diwali Discussion Board Send Diwali Gifts, shop for any deepavali gifts at the best prices! Click Here:- The EPIC: According to Ramayana, Diwali commemorates the return of Ram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the eldest son of King Dasharath of Ayodhya, from his 14-year exile with Sita and Lakshman after killing the Ravan, a demon king. The people of Ayodhya illuminated the kingdom with earthen diyas (oil lamps) and fireworks to celebration of the return of their king. Continuing the story of Rama, this festival commemorates Lord Ram's return to his kingdom Ayodhya after completing his 14-year exile. Twinkling oil lamps or diyas light up every home and firework displays are common all across the country. This celebration took place on the night of the new moon of Ashwin (October-November). The tradition and the timing continued to be followed even these days. Click here to know more... But it is just one aspect of this legendary festival. Though the four-day long festival centers round the new moon night, the night of lamps, each of the four days has an interesting story to tell of its own. The Day of Narakchaturdashi.This is actually the pre-Diwali day and the beginning of the four day long festival. The day is associated with the legend of the demon Naraka.This holy day marks the vanquishing of the demon Naraka by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. According to Puranas Naraka, the son of Bhudevi, acquired immense power as a blessing from Lord Brahma after a severe penance. He soon unleashed a reign of terror in the kingdom of Kamarupa, harassing the lestial beings with his invincible might. Unable to bear the tyranny of the demon, the celestial beings pleaded with Lord Krishna to save them from his torture.But Naraka could not be easily killed as he had a boon that he could face death only at the hands of his mother Bhudevi. So, Krishna asks his wife Satyabhama, the reincarnation of Bhudevi, to be his charioteer in the battle with Naraka.When Krishna feigns unconsciousness after being hit by an arrow of Naraka, Satyabhama takes the bow and aims the arrow at Naraka and kills him instantly. Later Lord Krishna reminds her of the boon she had sought as Bhudevi. The slaying of the Naraka by Sathyabhama could also be taken to interpret that parents should not hesitate to punish their children when they stray on to the wrong path.The message of Naraka Chaturdasi is that the good of the society should always prevail over one's own personal bonds. This Narakachaturdashi day is dedicated to lights and prayers heralding a future full of joy and laughter. Day of Amavashya. Click here for more.... Bali was the king of the nether world and his mighty power had become a threat to the gods. In order to curb his powers Lord Vishnu in the guise of a dwarf - a vaman - visited him and begged him to give him only that much land which he could cover with his three steps. Known for his philanthropy King Bali proudly granted him his wish. That very moment that dwarf transformed himself into the all-powerful Lord Vishnu. With his first step Lord Vishnu covered the entire heaven and with the second step the earth and asked Bali where to keep his third step. Bali offered his head. Putting his foot on his head Vishnu pushed him down to the underworld. At the same time for his generosity Lord Vishnu gave him the lamp of knowledge and allowed him to return to earth once a year to light millions of lamps to dispel the darkness and ignorance and spread the radiance of love and wisdom. Another version is that when Lord Vishnu in the guise of Vaman, sought three feet of land from the very generous king Bali Chakravarthy, Bali had to surrender his head as Vamana had conquered the earth and the sky in His two strides. Lord Vishnu banishes Bali into the nether world of Pathal by keeping his third stride on Bali's head. Later, pleased by his generosity, Lord Vishnu grants him a boon and he in turn requests the Lord to guard his palace at Patal Loka. Meanwhile, the Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu, is unable to bear the separation and her grief affects the functioning of the entire universe. Brahma and Lord Shiva offer themselves as guards and plead with Bali to relieve Vishnu. It is on this day of Amavasya Lord Vishnu returns to his abode and Goddess Lakshmi is delighted. That is the reason it is believed that those who worship Goddess Lakshmi on this day would be bestowed with all the riches. Click for more..... According to another version it was on this day Goddess Lakshmi emerged from Kshira Sagar when the Gods and demons were churning the sagara for Amrutha Bhandam. Click for more...... Padwa: The day following the Amavasya is "Kartik Shuddh Padwa" and it is only on this day that the King Bali would come out of Pathal Loka and rule Bhulok as per the boon given by Lord Vishnu. Hence, it is also known as "Bali Padyami".This day also marks the coronation of King Vikramaditya and Vikaram-Samvat was started from this Padwa day.Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North on this day. As per Vishnu-Puran the people of Gokul used to celebrate a festival in honor of Lord Indra and worshipped him after the end of every monsoon season but one particular year the young Krishna stopped them from offering prayers to Lord Indra who in terrific anger sent a deluge to submerge Gokul. But Krishna saved his Gokul by lifting up the Govardhan mountain and holding it over the people as an umbrella. Govardhan is a small hillock in Braj, near Mathura and on this day of Diwali people of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar build cowdung hillocks, decorate them with flowers and then worship them. Click for more.... Refer This Page Diwali Main Traditions Origin Unique tips for Diwali Pics to color Diwali Greeting cards New Year! 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Online Quotations and Egreetings for Diwali. Bang, bang, wooosh...www.usagreetings.com/html/diwal…

This diwali tumko mile Rathore ki Aim Film stars ka Fame Game show ka Jackpot Hit film mein ek spot Jadoo ki chhari lots of crackers aur phuljhari sab ka dher saara pyar aur dosti and lots n lots of fun n masti Wishing u a very HAPPY DIWALI!

I love u my friend. I dropped a drop of tear in the sea for u & I will love u till I find that drop again. Very Happy Diwali.

Crackers, Crackers Every where Fired by the rich and the haves; Hunger burns the poor bellies But no morsel to eat they have. No light to lamp their huts, Even a Diwali is dark at home. Amidst mindless show of blitz. True Diwali should bring cheers To the poor and the needy With sweetness and light Spread on the lives of the humble. The above poem, i posted in response to a Question about the crackers being fired in Deepavali. Now that Deepavali, is gone, think of the crakcers and let this be the food for thought for your friend also.