10 Reasons to celebrate DIWALI

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There are many historical and mythological reasons behind this great Indian festival.

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Here are lesser known reasons why different parts of India celebrate the festival of lights 

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1.  The Legends of King Mahabali 

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On the mythological front, it is believed that during the Treta Yug, King Mahabali held Goddess Lakshmi as a prisoner in his cell. Lord Vishnu reincarnated as the Vamana avatar at that time....

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By asking for alms, Lord Vishnu duped Mahabali into giving up all his wealth (Goddess Lakshmi). Diwali commemorates Lord Vishnu's defeat of King Mahabali, which is why Goddess Lakshmi is prayed on this day.

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2 Krishna killed Narakasura

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In Dwapara yuga, Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, killed demon Narakasura, the evil king of Pragjyotishapura, near present-day Assam, who had held 16,000 girls in captivity. 

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In Braj region in northern India, parts of Assam, as well as southern Tamil and Telugu communities, Narak Chaturdashi is viewed as the day on which Krishna killed Narakasura.

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3 Pandava's return to Hastinapur

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According to the great epic ‘Mahabharata,’ it was ‘Kartik Amavashya’ when the five Pandavas (brothers Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva) appeared from their 12 years of banishment as a result of their defeat in the hands of the Kauravas at the game of dice (gambling).

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The subjects who loved the Pandavas celebrated the day by lighting the earthen lamps.

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4 Goddess Lakshmi's birth

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As per another popular tradition, Diwali is celebrated as the day Goddess Lakshmi was born from Samudra Amntham, the churning of the cosmic ocean of milk by the gods and demons. On the night of Diwali, Lakshmi chose Vishnu as her husband and married him.

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5 Coronation of Vikramaditya

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One of the greatest of Hindu kings, Vikramaditya was crowned on the Diwali day. The legendary emperor, who may have been a historical figure or based on one, is thought of as the ideal king, known for his generosity, courage, and patronage of scholars. Thus, Diwali became a historical event as well.

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6 Enlightenment of Swami Dayanand Saraswati

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It was the new moon day of Kartik (Diwali day) when the 19th-century scholar Maharshi Dayananda, one of the greatest reformers of Hinduism and the founder of Arya Samaj, attained his nirvana. Dayananda's great mission was to ask humankind to treat one another as brothers through practices of nobility.

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7 Enlightenment of Vardhamana Mahavira

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For Jains, Diwali marks the enlightenment of Vardhamana Mahavira(the 24th and last Tirthankara). He was the founder of modern Jainism. Factually the enlightenment is said to have occurred on Oct 15, 527 BC. 

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There’s another reason for the Jains to involve in the Diwali galore apart from the enlightenment commemoration. And that is that this festival stands for the emancipation of human spirit from earthly desires which strongly superimpose with the teachings of Jainism.

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8 The Harvest Festival of Kharif crops

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Diwali also falls at a time of reaping the Kharif crops- a time when the rice cultivation gives its fruits to the farmers. India being an agro-economic society, the significance of the rich harvest gives a new meaning and vigor to the celebrations.

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9 Nachiketa and Yama

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Another interesting story about Diwali comes from the Kanthopnishads of a small boy Nachiketa who believed that Yama, the God of death was as dark as the Dark night of Amavasya. But when he met Yama in person, he was puzzled to see Yama’s calm countenance and dignifies stature.

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Yama explained to Nachiketa that only by passing through the darkness of death, man sees the light of the highest wisdom. This revelation of the importance of worldly life and the significance of death is celebrated as Nachiketa’s enlightenment on Diwali day.

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10 The story of Goddess Kali

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According to legend, Goddess Kali was born to protect the good from the evil. Said to be the personification of Nari Shakti, Kali was born to save the heavens and earth from the increasing menace of the demons. 

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After killing all the devils, Kali lost her control and began killing anyone who came in her way to be stopped only by Lord Shiva’s intervention. That memorable day has been celebrated henceforth to seek the blessings of Goddess Kali to destroy our inner evils.

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