Essay on Diwali

Life is a festival only to the wise.
India is a land of fairs and festivals. Diwali is one of the most important festivals in India. It is a very colorful festival. It is said that it was at first the festival of trading class. But now it has become a national festival. It is celebrated in every part of the country.
Diwali is commonly known as the festival of lights. It is sacred to the memory of Lord Rama. It is linked with the happy return of Rama to Ayodhya after an exile of fourteen years. It was a day of great merriment. The Sikhs celebrate it because on this day their sixth Guru was set free by the Mughals. It has also a seasonal significance as it marks the end of dull autumn and the beginning of winter.
The people start making preparations many days before the festival. Everyone takes pride in the face-lift of his house or shop. The children wait for the day very eagerly. The Shopkeepers decorate their shops in a fanciful manner. It is a real treat to see the various shops of toys and utensils, calendars sweetmeats and fireworks.
On Diwali streets and bazaars come to life early in the morning. People from the nearby villages pour in large numbers in colourful clothes. They spend the whole day in buying various articles. Sweetmeat shops present a very juicy sight. The children get fun out of watching all the shops displaying a variety of goods.
The real festival starts when night begins to spread on all sides. People start lighting earthen lamps, coloured candles, and electric bulbs. Houses and shops are illuminated. The rows of earthen lamps on the roofs of houses and shops look very charming. The localities and bazaars present colourful patterns of light. Terraces, balconies and shop fronts are lighted up. Everybody tries to propitiate goddess Lakshmi.
Fireworks are an essential part of the Diwali festivities. Even the grown-ups indulge in this pastime with great zeal and gusto. The children explode crackers which produce a deafening noise. Lately, Diwali has become a festival of noise and violence and this is a bad thing.
The festival of light comes at night. The lights stand for the desire of man to march from darkness to light, from evil to good. The Hindus worship Lakshmi at night. The merchants close their old accounts and begin the new financial year. For some people, Dewali is the night of gambling and drinking. This robs this sacred festival of its religious significance and gives it the character of a carnival.

Paragraph on Diwali

Diwali is the most outstanding Hindu festival. It means the feast of lights. It is celebrated in the honour of Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya. This festival falls on a moonless night. Dealers in sweets, fruits, pictures, utensils, and fireworks, reap a rich harvest. People clean, paint and decorate their buildings on this occasion. They put on their best garments and exchange Diwali greeting. Real celebrations start with the setting of the sun. Buildings are illuminated tastefully. On such nights failure of electricity distresses terribly as a whole show becomes dull. This festival is sacred to Laxmi, the goddess of wealth. Hindus worship her sincerely. Houses are kept lit the whole night lest the goddess should miss their doors. The sweets and fruits are taken heartily and distributed generously. People stroll about the bazaars joyfully till late nights. There is a lot of rush in the markets. Children and young folk let off fireworks hilariously. This merriment sometimes becomes the cause of the tragedy. The holiness of this festival is spoiled by some anti-social practices like gambling and drinking. On the whole, it is a splendid festival.