From the Editor’s Desk: Deepavali - “The Festival of Lights”
Deepavali—“the Festival of Lights”—is one of the most significant, joyous and popular festivals of India. In Sanskrit, deepa means “lamp” and avali is “row.” Thus, the name Deepavali refers to the rows of small clay lamps, known in Hindi as diyas, that are lit in homes, temples, and streets during this festival. The overarching theme of Deepavali is the triumph of light over darkness, of knowledge over ignorance, of goodness over evil. According to the lunar calendar, the festival begins with Govatsa Dvadashi on the twelfth day of the Krishna Paksha, the dark fortnight of the waning moon. It is followed on the thirteenth day with Dhanteras, and with Narak Chaturdashi on the fourteenth day. The festival culminates on the fifteenth day with the New Moon or amavasya, which is…
