India is a land of festivals. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated with fervor and gaiety. The festival is celebrated by young and old, rich and poor, throughout the country to dispel darkness and light up their lives. The festival symbolizes unity in diversity as every state celebrates it in its own special way.

Hindu Mythology:
According to Ramayana, Diwali commemorates the return of Ram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the eldest son of King Dasharath of Ayodhya, from his 14-year exile with Sita and Lakshman after killing the Ravan, a demon king. The people of Ayodhya illuminated the kingdom with earthen diyas (oil lamps) and fireworks to celebration of the return of their king.
In rural areas, Diwali signifies Harvest Festival. Diwali which occurs at the end of a cropping season has along with the above custom, a few others that reinforce the hypothesis of its having originated as a harvest. Every harvest normally spelt prosperity. The celebration was first started in India by farmers after they reaped their harvests. They celebrated with joy and offered praises to God for granting them a good crop.
During the reign of Emperor Prithu, there was a worldwide famine. He ordered that all available cultivatable lands be ploughed. When the rains came, the land became very fertile and grains were planted. The harvest provided food not only to feed all of India, but for all civilization. This harvest was close to Diwali time and was a good reason to celebrate Diwali with great joy and merriment by a wider community.
When Lord Krishna destroyed Narakasur on the day before Diwali, the news of it traveled very rapidly thought the land.It gave people who were already in a joyful mood, another reason for celebrating Diwali with greater pride and elaboration.

In the Adi Parva of the Mahabarat , the Pandavas returned from the forest during Diwali time. Once more, the celebrations extended beyond the boundaries of India to wherever Hindus lived.
It is on the same day of Amavasya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, that leonine sanyasin who was one of the first to light the torch of Hindu Renaissance during the last century, passed into Eternity. Swami Ramatirtha who carried the fragrance of the spiritual message of Hindu Dharma to the western world, also passed into eternity. The lights kindled on this day also mark the attempt of their followers to immortalize the sacred memories of those great men who lived to brighten the lives of millions of their fellow beings. The passage of these great men have indeed brought the national-cum-spiritual tradition of Deepavali right up to modern times. 

Sikh Festival Diwali
In Sikh perspective, Diwali is celebrated as the return of the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji from the captivity of the city, Gwalior. History states two commonly known reasons for his imprisonment. One is that the Muslim Raja approached Guru Hargobind Ji upon his entering Gwalior and told the Guru to denounce his Sikh religion and to join the Muslim faith. With the intention of utilizing the Guru’s great strength and fearlessness needed in battles. Being outraged by this request, the Guru rejected his proposition. In retaliation he captured the Guru and held him against his will. But eventually the Guru managed to free himself of this unjust imprisonment and returned to his beloved town of Amritsar. To commemorate his undying love for Sikhism, the townspeople lit the way to, Harmandhir Sahib (referred to as the Golden Temple), in his honor. For more about Diwali for Sikhs Click Here.

Jain Festival Diwali:
Among the Jain festivals, Diwali is one of the most important one. For on this occasion we celebrate the Nirvana of Lord Mahavira who established the dharma as we follow it. Lord Mahavira was born as Vardhamana on Chaitra Shukla 13 in the Nata clan at Khattiya-kundapura, near Vaishali. He obtained Kevala Gyana on Vishakha Shukla 10 at the Jambhraka village on the banks of Rijukula river at the age of 42. He initiated his shaashan (Jaina-shashana) on Shravana KrashNa 1 at his first assembly at Rajgrah. After having preached the dharma for 30 years, he attained Nirvana at Pava, at the age of 71 years and 6 and half months. For more about Diwali for Jains Click Here.

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