dear reader,Â
if you didn’t know, i’m indian. i mean, i’m american because i was born here, but my parents and their parents and their parents’ parents and so on were from india.Â
let me just say, i love my culture. the delicious food, dancing and singing, intricate rituals, interesting mythological stories, and beautiful clothing - all of it - make me so proud to be who i am. india itself is such a diverse country - with its uncountable number of languages and metropolitan and rural communities - and is home to every major religion of the world. that’s just me bragging about the country, but anyway, now onto the real deal :)
this coming monday, october 24th, is Diwali, the indian festival of lights. in my family, we celebrate the day by lighting diyas (candles) in little brown clay pots, dressing up gorgeously, and eating some sweet and savory foods. but why is Diwali a thing?Â
it’s celebrated for the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. most people celebrate it as the return of Lord Rama to his hometown after the defeat of Ravana - in the Hindu epic, Ramayana.
honestly, i don’t think there could be a better time of year for this occasion. with the real part of school actually kicking in, life has been draining mentally and physically. i’m sure you’re in the same position for a different aspect of your life too, if not school. so with this festival encouraging us to commemorate the brightness, joy, and goodness in our world, i want you to do that somehow too. whatever that means to you as i’ll keep it open to interpretation.Â
happy Diwali, loves! whether you celebrate or not, may your life be so so full of love and happiness, may the Rama in you defeat your Ravana, and may you grow and prosper out of the dark moments and into the best you that you can be.Â
love,
apuroopaÂ