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The End of Diwali & Its Significance

We at Lotus Sculpture hope you all had a wonderful Hindu Festival of Lights! Many non-Hindus around the world have come to know of the religious holiday, but fail to truly understand what it entails or symbolizes for the greater Hindu community. Diwali is not just a religious holiday, but a spiritual and social holiday as well. According to the Hindu calendar, Diwali marks the beginning of a new year. It is a time to be re-acquainted with one’s inner spirituality and set goals and ambitions for the year ahead. The festival itself honors the Hindu Gods in many ways with both rituals and prayers.

Lord Ganesh — View all Hindu God Ganesh Statues from Lotus Sculpture

The most revered of the deities during are Hindu Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity, and God Ganesh, Remover of Obstacles. It is not hard to see why these are the most important Hindu deities during the festival, as believers wish for prosperity in their lives both financially and spiritually in the coming year as well as help from Lord Ganesh in guiding their path to defeat those obstacles that may have hindered them in the previous year.

It is also a time to honor the return of Lord Ram. The legend behind the return of Lord Ram from Sri Lanka is one of the most beloved within Hindu mythology. Legend has it that the evil King of Sri Lanka, Ravana, kidnapped Lord Ram’s wife, Sita. Ram and his followers proceeded to spend years building a bridge between Sri Lanka and India in order to defeat Ravana and save his beloved wife. Once the bridge lay complete, Lord Ram was successful in his plans of defeat and rescue. When Ram returned to India, people welcomed them back by lighting small clay pots and decorating their homes in homage. These lamps are said to symbolize the triumph of good over evil, just as Lord Ram did over Ravana. The themes behind this story now define the celebration behind the Diwali Festival to date.

Today, the festival is marked by vast displays of fireworks, devote worship, social gatherings, prayer, and cleaning up one’s life both physically and spiritually. It is a time of joyous celebration of life itself. The holiday itself should not be considered only an exclusive holiday for Hindus, as they invite people of all faiths to embrace the meaning behind the festival, shedding stresses, worries, and make goals for the coming year. If you were not able to participate this last week, join Hindus around the world in celebrating the Festival of Lights next year!

Day 2 of Diwali Festival of Lights: Choti Diwali

Today, November 14^th, marks the second day of the 2012 Diwali Festival of Lights known as Choti Diwali, Naraka Chaturdashi, or Kali Chaudas. It is the 14^th day of the Hindu month of Ashwin and the most important day of the festival for South Indians. Legend has it that on this day God Krishna defeated the evil demon Narakasura and is therefore celebrated by Hindus as a triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. It is not surprising then that Kali, which translates as dark, the Goddess of death, time, and change, is celebrated.

On this day of Diwali many perform Poojas, or religious offerings, for Lakshmi and Rama with delicious foods. It is also tradition to bathe in fragrant oils before the sun comes up early in the morning and wear fresh new clothing as part of the day’s ritual. Bathing under the cloak of darkness and stars is regarded as honoring the holy river of Ganges. Families and friends gather together for shared meals and celebrate the richness of the day with song and collective activities.

The morning after Choti Diwali women often make beautiful Rangoli around their houses and yards. Rangoli are artistic designs made on the floors of Hindu households and yards during religious festivals. They are thought to be welcoming areas for the Gods and are traditionally made from colored rice, colored flour, sand, and flower petals.

To celebrate, gather materials around the house such as rice, grains, flower petals, beads, or anything small and vibrant in color. Use dyes or food coloring to add color to less than vibrant pieces. Once you have gathered up enough supplies, make the entrance way to your home or business colorful using what you have collected. This is a joyful way to welcome the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity Lakshmi to your home so that she may bless you in the coming year. Examples of Rangoli designs can be found across the internet for inspiration!

Hindu Lord Ganesh: Remover of Obstacles

Hindu God Ganesh has ascribed to many roles over time. His most marked role is that of Vighneshvara, or Lord of Obstacles, within the Hindu Religion. This applies to both material and spiritual aims. Besides the primary remover of obstacles he is also thought to place obstacles in the way of those in need of guidance. If one is expressing themselves in less then ideal ways, Ganesh may bring those to light by bringing about hindrances that may enlighten them.

Another such role is that of Lord of letters and learning. Ganesh is renowned for his divine intellect and wisdom. He is thought to be a teacher of the divine with his inherent cleverness and vast intelligence. He is worshiped often by devout Hindus whenever they are embarking on a new endeavor, such as buying a house or starting a new business opportunity. They pray for his guidance in that their new beginning may be successful.

It would not be a stretch to say that virtually every Hindu home has some sort of statue or montage to Lord Ganesh. He is worshiped by everyone, whether rich or poor, all over India. They collectively believe that he is a granter of success, prosperity, and protects against hardships that may arise. Most beseech upon him at the beginning of every prayer, important events, or religious ritual. It is even said that musicians, dancers, and artists call upon him at the beginning of every performance, undertaking, or event. One of the most influential invocations is the following mantra:

‘Om Shri Gaṇeshāya Namah’ translated as ‘Om, salutation to the Illustrious Ganesha’

Most Hindu households give offerings of sweets to their beloved Ganesh which is why he is often depicted holding a basket of delicacies. Although the birth of Ganesh is the most often celebrated holiday worshiping Ganesh, he is often revered during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. This is mostly due to his everyday influence in the lives of Hindus nationwide. Diwali is a celebration of the plentiful qualities of life, of which Ganesh is often a largely believed guidance through them all.

Legends of Hindu Goddess Kali: the Dark One

fierce form of Devi hindu goddess Kali — Click here view all our Goddess Kali Statues

According to Hindu teachings, Kali is Goddess of time or change, but is most notably known by non-Hindus for her darkness and violence. Much like Shiva in the form of Bhairava, her earliest incarnation was that of an annihilator of evil within the world. She is often depicted in grotesque fashion as her terrifying eyes and shrieking expression horrify. Kali is referred to as ‘the black one’ as she is thought to have been the first creation before light itself and her very presence is said to convey death and destruction.

Within her most famous Hindu legend she comes to the aid of Hindu Goddess Durga and her assistants as they attempt to slay the demon Raktabija. They attempt to wound him with various weapons but come to find that with every drop of blood they inflict he only multiplies in form. His duplicates overwhelm them and they call upon Kali for aid. Instead of Kali being summoned, however, Durga herself manifests into Kali’s form.

‘Out of the surface of her (Durga’s) forehead, fierce with frown, issued suddenly Kali of terrible countenance, armed with a sword and noose. Bearing the strange khatvanga (skull-topped staff), decorated with a garland of skulls, clad in a tiger’s skin, very appalling owing to her emaciated flesh, with gaping mouth, fearful with her tongue lolling out, having deep reddish eyes, filling the regions of the sky with her roars, falling upon impetuously and slaughtering the great asuras in that army, she devoured those hordes of the foes of the devas’

Kali slays the Raktabija by sucking every last ounce of blood from his body and devouring his duplicates. She rejoices in victory and dances upon the fallen in triumph. Her ferocious celebration is said to have consumed her fully, unable to stop herself from stomping on the slain. In order to snap his consort Kali out of her violent elation, God Shiva laid down amongst the dead beneath her feet. The instant her foot touched her beloved Shiva she was able to calm herself. This is why Kali is often depicted standing atop Shiva.

Although Kali is often seen as a terrifying and vicious slayer of demons, in union with Shiva she is said to help create and destroy worlds.

Shiva as Bhairava: Annihilator of Evil

bronze-bhiksantana-a — View all our Hindu God Shiva Statues

Hindu God Shiva, The Destroyer, comes in many forms. One such important form and his most fear invoking is that of Bhairava, the annihilator of evil. This fierce form is manifested when demons make themselves present and are in need of destruction. Shiva in this form is often depicted draped in serpents as jewelry, wrapped bare naked in tiger skin, and decorated in a ritual adornment of human bones riding atop his divine vehicle, a dog named Shvan. His frightful characteristics as banisher of evil are almost indistinguishable from Hindu Goddess of Death Kali. He is seen with devastatingly angry eyes, sharp teeth, and carrying a noose, trident, and skull within his hands. In this form he is said to embody the very essence of fear itself, often forcing those who come upon him to confront their most terrifying sources of fear

The origination of Shiva as Bhairava is said to have been by Shiva himself in order to chastise Brahma, the great creator of the Universe. Legend has it that Brahma lusted after his own daughter and created four heads in order to constantly be able to see her. His desires for his daughter caused her shame and she is said to have ascended to the heavens in escape. Brahma then created a fifth head and insisted on her letting him live with her. Upon hearing of this, Shiva used his sword to rid Brahma of his new fifth head. Seeing this as an act of killing, Shiva was punished to walk the earth as a beggar carrying around the fifth head of Brahma until he was forgiven of his sin, in which case the skull of Brahma would finally fall from his hands. Many did not recognize Shiva in his naked and violent beggars form as he howled and danced in madness.

Finally one day as Shiva enters the holy city of Varanasi, the skull falls from his blackened hands and he is rid of Brahmas curse.

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