| Diwali
Sweets, Diwali Mithai and Dry Fruit Diwali Gif.ts
- products delivered right to your door Our
store is full of wonderful products
Festival of Lights
Celebrate Diwali 2011 in the spirit of harmony and joy
with fresh Indian sweets
Diwali in 2011 is on Wednesday, the 26th of October.
Ship Indian Sweets or Mithai in USA - click below
shop
online for mithai, diwali sweets
Diwali Article
In India, the New Year
celebration is called Deepavali or Diwali, or Festival of Lights, and this year it falls
on Nov 1st, 2005.
India is an old land, is a
land of symbols, rituals, mythology, homage and festivals. At the heart of India is a
unique philosophy that aligns itself with cosmic energy or Ohm. This energy, in turn, is
divided into male and female energies. There are many, many sub-masculine and feminine
energies. The main masculine energies are symbolized by Brahma (creative energies), Shiva
(destroyer of false illusions) and Vishnu (preserver of our authentic self). The feminine
energies are mainly divided into Gauri/Parvati (goodness), Saraswati (wisdom) and Lakshmi
(wealth). This philosophy is called Hinduism. In practice, Hinduism is a philosophy and
not a religion.
The ancient rituals were
intended to help us create powerful lives. Diwali was used to bring home the knowledge
that one must have the three female energies in equal balance to really enjoy
life—for example my mother used to tell me that too much wealth without wisdom and
goodness would not be the best of situations and vice versa. But the three energies in
somewhat equal balance would be a recipe for a good life. Also, one should work to infuse
the male energies of being creative, aligning with truth and finding our true self.
The Diwali mantra is Tamaso Ma
Jyotir Gamaya (may we lead ourselves from darkness to light). Over time, Diwali was merged
with the celebration of the popular and beloved King Ram returning after a long exile.
This event happened at Diwali time the beginning of a New Year.
But when I was growing up, I
was more concerned with all the gaiety and fireworks that mark Diwali. I would look
forward to the nights leading up to Diwali where we (children, teenagers, mothers,
fathers, grandparents from all religions) would dress up in traditional finery and go up
to the terraces of the tall buildings of Bombay where we would dance away the nights
together. The young crowd would stay until the wee hours of the morning. (If you have a
chance, go to the Navratri [Nine Day] dance held every year in Minneapolis—it is
colorful and fun.)
On Diwali day we would dress
the house with oil lamps. It is a day to go inward as a family—the family would
recite mantras (philosophical stanzas) or take account of what we learned that year as we
closed out the year. Then there was a tasty vegetarian meal (most meals on Hindu rituals
and festival days in India emphasize a vegetarian meal). The meal is full of flavor and
special ingredients consisting of poori (a fried bread), alu rasedar (a potato curry),
dahi bhalla (a lentil patty smothered in yogurt and topped with a tamarind sauce) and
kheer, the rice pudding. After the meal, we would connect with the neighborhood to light
fireworks and look at the landscape, which would be twinkling with lights.
The day after Diwali is an
important day to visit extended family and friends to share wishes for a happy and
prosperous new year. On this day, sweets or fruits are exchanged to symbolize that
everyone would have a sweet year ahead.
As India marches into the 21st
century, Diwali has become commercialized and has become the largest annual consumer
spending season in India. The older generation is hoping that over this noise and din the
younger generation would heed the steady light of the oil lamp—a constant symbol on
Diwali of an illuminated mind.
Try our Wonderful Diwali Collection of Traditional Mithai or Indian Sweets |
