India is the land of festivals. All year long, there are many festivals that take place. If you ever go to India, you will realise that every celebration asks for something special which is true for all the festivals.
As India is a land of diversity there are many people with different faith, views and religion. You can find a blend of different ideologies in just the right mix. Out of all these religions, there is one religion which is the oldest and originates from India.
We are talking about Hinduism or as many people like to call it Sanatan Dharma. It is the oldest surviving religion on Earth and it is also the parent religion for many religions and cultures.
One of the most prominent things in Hinduism and its branches is the ritual of lighting Diya. In its branch religion like Buddhism, Sikhism etc are also seen to have this practice of lighting candles or diyas.
Lighting diya is an ages-old tradition which is as old as Hinduism itself. But why do they like candles? What is the significance behind it? What is the meaning of it? Are there any benefits?
If you want to get answers to all questions then you are at the right place. In this blog, we will talk about the tradition of lighting candles and their significance then we will also talk about the benefits of lighting candles.
If this is what you were looking for then stay with us and keep reading.
What is the Hindu tradition of lighting lamps?
As we have said in the beginning that Hinduism is the oldest religion. Hindu people follow a lot of rites and rituals. One of them that is done by every Hindu is lighting lamps.
In a traditional Hindu household, it is a normal sight to see that a diya is lightened up in the morning as well as in the evening around sunset. Lighting diyas have their own significance in festivals as well.
Whenever there is a festival going around we can find pretty diyas lined up in the front gate of the house and in the temples in front of brass idols of gods and goddesses.
We can find many instances of lightning diyas in Sacred epics like Ramayana and Mahabharat as well.
There is a very famous story of Lord Ram and the lightning of diyas which is written in Ramayana. This story starts after Lord Ram is returning back with Goddess Sita and Brother Laxman. After 14 years of exile when Lord Ram was coming back with everyone in his flying chariot.
When the people of Ayodhya got to know that their King is coming back to rule and lead them. Everyone was filled with joy and happiness. As Lord Ram’s beloved brother Bharat got to know about it he ordered to light up the whole kingdom with lamps made from Earthen diyas.
It was the night of Amavasya, which is the day of the new moon. Despite the darkness of night, a large number of diyas were lit to dispel the darkness.
King Bharat distributed sweets to all the people. People exchanged gifts with each other and celebrated his return.
This day is celebrated till now and this is how Diwali the festival of light came into existence.
What are the benefits of lighting oil lamps?
- Positive vibration
We, humans, are sensitive to energy. Just like we all are attracted to positivity. When we are happy and positive we tend to be more energetic and productive. The opposite of this is true as well.
We, humans, are creatures of light. We automatically feel better when we are under sunlight. In order to feel better and positive, you can try lighting a lamp with is a source of positive energy.
- The victory of good over evil
A lamp is the source of light. It is also seen as a symbol of victory of good over evil and light over dark. Just like how dark it was when Lord Ram returned back to Ayodhya, but with the presence of well-lit diyas a happy and positive environment is created.
When a diya is lit on Diwali it is seen as a symbol of victory for Lord Ram over King Ravana who was the king of heaven, Earth and hell. Just like that, a diya teaches us no matter how dark and grim the situation looks there is always a way to defeat evil.
- Dispels negative energy
There are times in our life when we are feeling low or when it feels like everything is going wrong. While there are many reasons to feel low. But feeling like that will not solve it.
Many times a positive perspective helps to solve the problem. Lighting a diya might not magically solve all your problems but it helps you to gather energy for solving and facing it.
- Brings prosperity
In Hindu culture, it is believed that the goddess Laxmi who is the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity comes to clean and well-lit houses only. It is considered extremely important to welcome and please her so that she may bless us.
When we lighten up a diya to pray in front of her then it is said to make her happy and pleased which will help to bring fortune and wealth into your life and house.
- Eliminates Vastu Dosha
If you are constantly facing problems in your life or people in your family are suffering from negative emotions then it can be a sign of Vastu dosha.
Vastu dosha, in simple words, can be understood as energy blockage which is caused by wrong interior design or wrong placement of things. When left untreated for too long it tends to create problems in people’s life.
It is quite difficult to figure vastu dosha out. But when we find what is causing the problem. Many Vastu experts believe that having a brass diya and lighting it up is a great way to reduce the negative effects of vastu dosha.
In simple words
We have reached the end of this article which is about the tradition of lighting the lamp in India. Where we learned about the significance of lighting diyas and what are its benefits.
We hope that you were able to find the answer to all the questions that you were looking for.
