A diya or an earthen lamp is synonymous to the festival of Deepavali or Diwali. Diyas adorn every corner of the house on this very auspicious
day and add light and brightness to the festive spirit which is
accompanied by a number of delicacies to gorge on, bright and new
clothes to wear, splash of rangoli on the floor and above all a time for
families and friends to get together.
As we all know, Deepavali meaning ‘row of lamps (Deepon ki avali), is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil.
The people of Ayodhya had welcomed the return of Lord Ram, his consort Sita and brother Lakshman, who were in exile for 14 long years.
Lord Ram, Lakshman, Lord Hanuman and an army of monkey, under the leadership of Vanar Raj Sugreeva had defeated Ravana, the king of Lanka who had abducted Sita. And that signified the triumph of good over evil.
However, there’s something more symbolic about the diyas orjyot. Most Hindu households often light a diya once every morning and in the evening. It’s not just a customary practice but signifies the submission of one’s soul to the supreme power.
The oil in the diya represents the dirt (greed, jealousy, hatred, lust etc) that humans tend to nurture while the cotton wick is symbolic of the aatman (self). So in order to attain enlightenment and unite with the Brahman (the supreme power), one must get rid of materialism. A diya emits light when the wick fuelled by oil burns.
As we all know, Deepavali meaning ‘row of lamps (Deepon ki avali), is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil.
The people of Ayodhya had welcomed the return of Lord Ram, his consort Sita and brother Lakshman, who were in exile for 14 long years.
Lord Ram, Lakshman, Lord Hanuman and an army of monkey, under the leadership of Vanar Raj Sugreeva had defeated Ravana, the king of Lanka who had abducted Sita. And that signified the triumph of good over evil.
However, there’s something more symbolic about the diyas orjyot. Most Hindu households often light a diya once every morning and in the evening. It’s not just a customary practice but signifies the submission of one’s soul to the supreme power.
The oil in the diya represents the dirt (greed, jealousy, hatred, lust etc) that humans tend to nurture while the cotton wick is symbolic of the aatman (self). So in order to attain enlightenment and unite with the Brahman (the supreme power), one must get rid of materialism. A diya emits light when the wick fuelled by oil burns.
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