Posted on 11/05/2004 12:36:25 PM PST by agneyen
Basically, Diwali is a festival of lights, the lit lamps serving as reminders that while we are each of us one light, if we stand together in unity we are as one bright, shining light. A rather beautiful thought. A day of fasting and prayer precedes the lighting of the lights, and feasting takes place a day afterwards. There are celebrations over the next few days, much like Hanuukah and Christmas, during which gifts are exchanged and sweet treats are baked and eaten, and people visit one another's homes for festivities and socializing. Everyone is expected to greet one another with compassion and care, as fostering these qualities towards one another is, ultimately, what Diwali is all about.
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