“There are darkness’s in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.” On t...
On the verge of celebration of light- Dipaboli/Diwali/ Kali Pujo in India, I try to analyse the impact of light in existence of living
being. Light is inevitable for physical and mental health of human. Energy in
body and mind comes from only sole source called light.
Everything that is good in the world,
something auspicious, something dear, the lights are embedded in everything in
an unobtrusive way. The light is at the center of the prayers of the weak,
helpless people. People around the world worship the light in different ways.
That light sometimes shines in the soft light of wax, or as a wonderful
manifestation of the artist's creativity. However, the key melody to all
festivals is the desire of a peaceful and happy future. Light has become such a
means to ignite all the irritation of the past and also to welcome infinitely
potential tomorrow ever again. In the ages light has changes its exterior ,color ,pattern, design but not
forget it’s cause of existence-to give light.
Light is one of the most exhilarating thing which has been surprising the geniuses for long. Sunlight is the mother of all
light and existence of mortal. Lights have many impacts in mortal world.
Food and Light-:
· Light
is the lone source of food generation for all living organisms on the earth. So plants depend on sunlight for their food and animals depend on
plants. Thus all the living beings are dependent on light for food. This
phenomenon is present both on the earth surface and also the marine
environments.
· Vitamin-D is a type of vitamin which is needed
to be supplied from the external source. This is because it can be synthesized
from ergo sterol and cholesterol by irradiation with sunlight. When the light
fall on the skin, the ergo sterol below the skin converts to vitamin-D. So if
someone stays away from sunlight for long, he tends to develop the vitamin-D
deficiency.
· All animals, birds are able to see the objects
around them due to presence of eyes. But without light, these eyes might be of
no use. Because of light, the eyes can receive the image of the
objects and send the information to the brain.
· Sunlight helps in the drying of the soil,
forests, air and rocky surfaces due to its ability to heat up. Also,
it helps water evaporate from oceans and water ponds. This drying is helpful in
two ways to live on earth like
· The water cycle is a way by which
fresh water on the earth surface is kept recycled for drinking and
irrigation. The water from land evaporates to form clouds. These clouds again
cause rainfall to return the fresh water to the earth surface. So due to rains,
there is fresh water to drink and also use for irrigation.
· Sunlight helps in keeping the nature clean.
Due to drying, there is no growth of weeds, algae and other microbes keeping
the environment clean and tidy. Even dead bodies and other waste material get
dried and lose their mass and get degraded fast.
· Sunlight is an effective sterilizing agent.
When blankets and other hospital mattress are dried in sunlight, all the
microbes get killed.
· Light from the sun helps to generate green
energy or renewable energy.
· Light is a form of energy. And sunlight has
huge energy by which the temperature on the earth is maintained. Due to this,
the life exists on the earth.
· Everyday light keeps plants and animals ticking with time. There is a clock
inside both plants and animals which keep them active during the day and
relaxed at night. This clock is controlled by light.
Thus light which appears to be a simple
phenomenon of the universe has divers use to humans and life on earth.
Depression
and Light-:
According to National Institute for General
Medical Science’s physical, mental, and behavioural changes of human body follow
a daily cycle. They respond primarily to light and darkness in an organism's
environment.”
Light therapy is used as a treatment for
several conditions, including:
·
SAD (seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
·
Types of
depression that don't occur seasonally
·
Jet lag
·
Sleep disorders
·
Adjusting to a
night-time work schedule
·
Dementia
Light therapy is most effective when you have
the proper combination of light intensity, duration and timing as per doctor’s
advice.
“You have to
find what sparks a light in you so that you in your own way can illuminate the
world.” Oprah Winfrey
Celebration
of Light all over the world
India-: Dipabali/
Diwali/ Kalipujo-:
Diwali
or Dipabali is a four-to-five day-long (varying as per the Hindu Calendar)
festival of lights, which is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some
Buddhists every autumn in the northern hemisphere (spring in southern hemisphere)
One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolises the spiritual
"victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over
ignorance." Light is a metaphor for knowledge and consciousness. During
the celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly
illuminated.
Kali
Puja, also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a festival
which is celebrated by the Hindus all over India particularly in the states of
West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa. It is also done on the same
day when the festival of Diwali is celebrated but the difference is that Kali
Puja is celebrated during night. Kali or Kalika is a Hindu Goddess, and is the
fierce form of the Supreme Being Shakti, as per Hindu mythology. Kali means the
power of time (derived from the Sanskrit word Kal), and the colour black. Thus
Goddess Kali is symbolic of preservation as well as destruction, the destroyer
of the dark forces in the universe, and the force of time. In West Bengal,
Goddess Kali is venerated as a Mother, and people address her as Ma. Even in
her most fierce form, Goddess Kali is a symbol of kindness, and like a true
mother, Goddess Kali is forever ready to destroy herself to protect her
children. Bengalis all over the world worship this embodiment of Goddess Kali
with great devotion.
In
the lead-up to Diwali, celebrants will prepare by cleaning, renovating, and
decorating their homes and workplaces. During the climax, revellers adorn
themselves in their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of
their homes with diyas (oil lamps or candles), offer puja (worship) to Lakshmi,
the goddess of prosperity and wealth, light fireworks, and partake in family
feasts, where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared. Diwali is also a major
cultural event for the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist diaspora from the Indian
subcontinent.
Hannukah is the
Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a
nightly menorah lighting, special
prayers and fried foods. The Hebrew word Chanukah means
“dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the
Holy Temple (as you’ll read below).
At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah lighting. A menorah is lit
in every household (or even by each individual within the household)
and placed in a doorway or window. The menorah is also lit in synagogues
and other public places. In recent years, thousands of jumbo
menorahs have cropped up in front of city halls and legislative buildings,
and in malls and parks all over the world.
This event takes
place over the course of three weeks in May and June. The centrepiece of Vivid
Sydney is the light sculptures; multimedia interactive work and building
projections that transform various buildings and landmarks such as
the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in and around
the Sydney central business district into an outdoor night time
canvas of art.
Amsterdam
Light Festival
The Light Festival has been a (literal)
highlight for the winter season. Since 7 years Dutch and international
experimental artists have created breath taking light sculptures on and around
the canals of Amsterdam, on the Amstel River and at selected locations in the
city. Wander around, rent a bike or hop on a boat to see enjoy Amsterdam Light
Festival to the fullest.
Festival of
Lights Berlin is a fee
annual international event that takes place in October in Berlin, Germany.
It transforms landmarks and buildings across the city through the use of
illuminations, luministic projections and 3D mapping. Structures, streets and
squares, including Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin TV Tower,
the Berlin Cathedral, or the Berlin Victory Column have been
metamorphosed through light each year.
The Great Wisteria Festival-: One of the most beloved spring
flowers in Japan, the 150-year-old Great Wisteria takes center stage at this
light festival. You get to witness the beautiful blooming season of Japan in
the evening, with lighted displays on Wisteria trees in the evening spanning
across 1,000 sqm and 500 Azaleas in full bloom within the park.
Macao Light Festival
The Macao Light Festival delights its visitors
with a thematic visual spectacle each year, weaving in the rich and unique
heritage of Macao at each of the locations of the light installations. You’ll
also find interactive light installations that encourage participation and a
festival game app, taking everyone on a fully immersive journey of
story-telling that is uniquely Macao.
Night Of The Witches – Mexico is the festival takes place in the Mexican town of Catemaco,
where witches and healers descend to perform a mass cleansing ceremony to
rid them of negative energies. It takes place on the first Friday of March.
Keene
Pumpkin Festival - New Hampshire, USA
Taking place each year before Halloween, this
pumpkin festival sees residents get together to meet or break the record for
the highest number of jack-o-lanterns in the world.
Bonfire
Night - Lewes, England -Celebrated
on 4th or 5th November, the festival not only marks the night of Guy Fawkes but
it also has many religious implications.
Lantern
Festival - Taiwan
It’s very similar Chinese Lantern Festival and
is celebrated on the last day of Lunar New Year. On this day, people write
wishes on Pingxi paper lanterns which are lighted and then released in the sky.
This tradition of writing wishes is hundreds of years old and is done in the of
getting one’s prayers answered by their ancestors. Releasing lanterns was a
sign that the town is safe. Traditional Dish: Taiwanese Beef Noodles, a
noodle soup of made of red braised beef, vegetables and Chinese noodles.
Festival of
Lights Lyon – France-this is one of the oldest light festivals in the world. Tracing
back to 1643, this festival is celebrated to express gratitude towards Mother
Mary. It has a bit of resemblance to Diwali where the lit candles are placed
everywhere including outside windows. It takes place for 3-4 days and ends on
December 8.
Traditional Dish: Pot-au-feu, which is a beef stew made of
vegetables and beef broth.
Las Fallas – Spain-It is one of a kind festival
where giant dolls or puppets are burnt on the ground at the stroke of midnight.
It takes place in Valencia and is celebrated with much fervor from March 15 to
19 with incredible fireworks at display. The name of this festival is inspired
by the Latin word ‘fax’, which means torch. This high-spirited fiesta is
hundreds of years old and is known as the hottest festivals. Traditional Dish: Paella Valenciana, which is a
white rice dish with ancient roo
The
celebration of light is one of the omnipresent festivals of the Earth. Festival
of light signifies the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and
knowledge over ignorance. This is the commemoration of the light of wisdom in
our lives. Life has many features and stages to it and it is important that you
throw light on each one of them, for life to be fully expressed. The rows of
lights remind you that every aspect of life needs your attention and the light
of knowledge.
The latent
values in you are like a lamp. Don’t be satisfied with lighting just one lamp;
light a thousand! You need to light many lights to dispel the darkness of
ignorance. By lighting the lamp of wisdom in yourself and acquiring knowledge,
you awaken all facets of your being. When they are lit and awakened, it is light.So
drop past regrets and future worries; just live in the moment. It is a time to
forget the bickering and negativities that have happened through the year. It
is a time when you throw light on the wisdom you have gained and welcome a new
beginning. When true wisdom dawns, it gives rise to celebration.
For many Celebration
of Light comes only once a year, but for only few, it is every moment and every
day. So enjoy the light,
celebrate yourself and be happy always and forever.
“Within you
is the light of a thousand suns.” Robert Adams.
***** Some Pictures are taken from Internet **********
Hi
ReplyDeleteKudos for the well written article on lights the good over evil celebration worldwide and well researched and articulated.
Must have been a herculean task collating and researching and adding meaning to the festivals.
Congratulations and best wishes for many more such articles.
Looking forward to more.
Regards
Rajat
THANKS A LOT, @Rajatsahu. IT MEANS A LOT. STAY BLESSED ALWAYS
ReplyDelete