Daily Times

The Hindu community of Cholistan in Rahimyar Khan celebrated the festival of Diwali with traditional fervour.

It is the festival of lights, which celebrates the victory of good over evil.

Some glimpses of the festival have been captured.

Diwali or Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated every year in autumn in the northern hemisphere. It is an official holiday in Fiji, Guyana, India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, it spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. Its celebration includes millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings in the communities and countries where it is observed. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five-day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the dark night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika in Bikram Sambat calendar, on the 15th of the month. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November.

Diwali or Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated every year in autumn. Fiji, Guyana, India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago recognise the day of the festival as an official holiday

Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate, and decorate their homes and offices. On Diwali night, people dress up in new clothes or their best outfits, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family puja (prayers) typically to Lakshmi – the goddess of fertility and prosperity. After puja, fireworks follow, then a family feast including mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends.

The article originally appeared in PakVoices. The writer is a citizen journalist based in Rahim Yar Khan

Published in Daily Times, October 23^rd 2017.