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#UAPBAthletics Celebrates Diwali

10/24/2022 5:43:00 PM

Organized by UAPB Athletics DEI committee which helps students accommodate culturally and academically at UAPB celebrates the Diwali Festival.

Diwali is a festival of lights. It is one of the biggest festivals celebrated mainly in India and a few other countries like Fiji, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sikhs, and Newar Buddhists. Although, each faith or religion marks different historical events and stories. However, Diwali represents the same symbolic victory of good over evil, light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair.

For this festival, people decorate their homes and offices with various lights, cook delicious food, dress up in new clothes, exchange gifts, and as the Sun sets, they burst crackers (Fireworks). Indian businesses consider Diwali as the first day of the financial New Year.

Diwali celebrations go on for five days. The five days are Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Pooja, Govardhan Pooja, and Bhai Dooj.

The first day of this festival is 'Dhanteras' (worship of wealth). On this day, people worship Goddess Lakshmi and purchase something precious.

The second day of this festival is Naraka Chaturdashi. People celebrate this day to honor Lord Krishna's victory over the legendary demon king Narakasura.

Goddess Mahakali is worshipped on this day. People wake up early in the morning and apply aromatic oils to their bodies before taking a bath to remove all sins and impurities from their life. Naraka Chaturdashi is often referred to as Deepavali or Diwali in South India.

The third day is the main festival worshiping goddess Lakshmi (God of Wealth). People wear new clothes, offer Puja, and enjoy lighting diyas and bursting a few crackers on this day.

The fourth day of this festival is Govardhan Puja. This day is celebrated in remembrance of the day that Lord Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill on one finger to protect the inhabitants of Mathura from the anger of Lord Indra. On this day, people make a small hillock using cow dung that symbolizes Govardhan and worships it.

The significance of the fifth day of this festival is Bhai Dooj. On this day, sisters visit their brother's house and perform a tilak ceremony. Sisters pray for their brothers to have a long and happy life while the brothers give gifts to their sisters.

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