December 2005: SHARING THE LIGHT!
I recently read an article in “The Journal News” describing a wonderful Hindu festival called “Diwali.” The parallels with our festival of Chanukah were so striking that I immediately went on the internet to learn more about it. It seems that Diwali, also known as the Hindu “festival of lights,” is the best known of Hindu festivals. Amid the dark skies of autumn, lights illumine homes throughout India and its diaspora (sound familiar) while families celebrate with visits, gifts, and feasts.
Diwali lasts for five days, beginning on the 14th day of the dark half of the Hindu calendar month of Asvina. Every Hindu month is divided into a light half, when the moon waxes, and a dark half, when it wanes. By the Gregorian calendar, Diwali falls in October or November. This year, it began on November 1.
Diwali’s name comes from the Sanskrit “deepavali,” meaning “row of lights.” According to tradition, Diwali celebrates the joyous homecoming of Lord Rama, hero of the epic poem “The Ramayana,” who returns after 14 years of exile. When Lord Rama and his wife Sita returned to rule their country, their people lit the way with small oil lamps called diye.
During Diwali, these lamps shine in rows along homes and temples – adorning windowsills, staircases, and parapets – or glow from little boats that float down rivers. Colorful candles are lit alongside diye, while fireworks light up the night sky.
There is a lot more, of course, that I could tell you about Diwali. To me, it represents another beautiful example of a rich cultural tradition which emphasizes the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil.
The story of Chanukah emerged from the particularistic historical experience of the Jewish people. Yet, it is wonderful to see how our festival of lights shares so much of the same universal message of Diwali. For me, it is further testament of the commonality of the human experience. Perhaps learning about the traditions and cultures of others will help us appreciate our similarities, even as we learn to respect our differences.
Wishing you a Happy, Healthy Chanukah, Rabbi Ronald S. Mass
