MAIN FEATURE
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KAMAL KAUR
FESTIVAL
OF LIGHTS
Kamal Kaur’s childhood memories of Diwali will leave many nostalgic and pensive.
For those who don’t understand the meaning behind this festival of lights, there is
no better way to grasp it than by reading this one woman’s journey.
H
istorically, the origin of
Diwali can be traced back
to ancient India, when it
was probably an important harvest festival.
However, there are various legends
pointing to the origin of Diwali or
‘Deepawali.’ Some believe it to be
the celebration of the marriage of
Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. In Bengal,
the festival is dedicated to the
worship of Mother Kali, the dark goddess of strength. Lord Ganesha, the
elephant-headed God, the symbol of
auspiciousness and wisdom, is also
worshiped in most Hindu homes on
this day. In Jainism,
Deepawali has
an added significance
to the
great
22.
event of Lord Mahavira attaining the
eternal bliss of nirvana.
My memories of Diwali have
always been exciting. As a kid, I
recall my mum ordering loads of
cakes from a bakery in the middle of town with ‘Happy Diwali’
inscribed on them with strawberry
jam. These cakes were to be given
to the relatives and friends over
the festive period. Months before,
mum’s preparations would start by
buying gifts- usually crockery and
other home-ware items. She would
t [