FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS SPARKLES OUR WORLD

HANUKKAH & DIWALI

The festival of lights has different meanings, significance and interpretation around the world. The Jewish Festival of Lights is called Hanukkah and the Hindu Festival of Lights is known as Diwali. Diwali is a religious festival of lights associated with Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism in India. Both festivals involve prayers.A traditional puja is performed after sunset on Diwali.

Hanukkah is one of the most joyous times of the year in Jewish culture. Hanukkah begins with lighting a 'menorah' for 8 nights with olive oil or wax candles, one on the first night and one each succeeding night so that the last night has eight lights…

Diwali symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and is celebrated with ‘diyas’ (small earthen lamps in clay filled with oil) or candles and fire-crackers. 'Deepawali' in Sanskrit means “a row of lamps”…The Goddess of Wealth Lakshmi is worshipped. Traditional celebrations of Diwali are actually spread over five days. This festival is celebrated in different ways across India. It is one of my favourite festivals.  

On Diwali different kind of traditional sweets like laddoos, barfis, gulab jamuns etc. are prepared  and gifted while Hanukkah is celebrated with the customary fried jam-filled doughnuts , potato pancakes and cheese products. Both festivals also involve the custom of playing games …On Diwali people play with cards to invite prosperity and on Hanukkah it is customary in many homes to play the 'dreidel'  (four-sided spinning top) after lighting the Hanukkah menorah.

Wherever one might be in this world, the festival of lights truly lights the world and brings people so much closer. The festival brings with it the magic of removing darkness and sadness in an instant!