The Hindu “Festival of Lights” known as Diwali (or Deepavali) begins Saturday, Oct. 17, and runs for five days. Diwali is one of the most popular holidays in the Hindu diaspora, especially in the United States, where the Hindu population has topped 1 million — tripling in 15 years.
The holiday is also observed by many Sikhs and Jains, and so puts a spotlight on the range of South Asian religious communities in the United States.
Diwali symbolizes the victory of dharma, and good over evil. The word is a variation of the Sanskrit word “Deepavali” and refers to the rows of earthen lamps celebrants place around their homes. Hindus believe that the light from these lamps symbolizes the illumination within the individual that overwhelms ignorance, represented by darkness.
RESOURCES
ReligionLink has a comprehensive source guide on Hinduism, with links to experts and organizations.
Also see our guide to Asian-Americans and religion for a look at the larger spectrum of Asian faiths present in the United States.
It is also worth noting that the American Religious Identification Survey of 2008 (see the ReligionLink report on it) shows that the number of adherents of Eastern religions, which more than doubled in the 1990s, has declined slightly. The study’s authors also note that “Asian Americans are substantially more likely to indicate no religious identity than other racial or ethnic groups.”
BACKGROUND
Diwali commemorates the return of the avatar Lord Ram (the incarnation of Lord Vishnu), his wife Sita and brother Lakshman to their capital, Ayodhya, after 14 years of exile. The residents of Ayodhya, overjoyed at the return of their beloved king, lit lamps in his honor. Thus, the entire city looked like a row of lights.
Diwali is also observed by Sikhs, who celebrate the release of the Sixth Guru, Hargobind, from captivity by the Mughal Emperor Jehangir, and Jains, who commemorate the day Lord Mahavira attained nirvana, or liberation, after his death in 527 B.C.
At Diwali, relatives and friends exchange food gifts, and at weddings, the families of the bride and bridegroom exchange gifts. Otherwise, gift exchange isn’t central to mainstream Hindu tradition.
