US President Joe Biden sends warm wishes to the people of India on Diwali, “From the People’s House to yours, Happy Diwali.”
In a tweet of warm wishes to the people of India, Joe Biden said, “May the light of Diwali remind us that from the darkness there is knowledge, wisdom, and truth. From division, unity. From despair, hope.”
He also said, “To Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists celebrating in America and around the world –from the People’s House to yours, Happy Diwali.”
The festival of lights is one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists, notably Newar Buddhists, and usually lasts five days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika (between mid-October and mid-November).
It is a celebration of the day Lord Rama returned to his kingdom Ayodhya with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana after defeating Ravana in Lanka and serving 14 years of exile.
It is one of the most celebrated festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance”.
The festival is popularly linked with Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity, with many other regional traditions connecting the holiday to Sita and Rama, Vishnu, Krishna, Yama, Yami, Durga, Kali, Hanuman, Ganesha, Kubera, Dhanvantari, or Vishvakarman.
In the days preceding Diwali, celebrants will prepare by cleaning, renovating, and decorating their homes and workplaces with diyas (oil lamps) and rangolis (colorful art circle patterns), perform worship ceremonies of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared.