Exploring Diwalis

This article was first published in teachPrimary. You can find the article and its resources on the teachwire website.

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Many religions find joy in celebrating Diwali. Let’s explore who, why and how this festival is marked.

Religions and cultures around the world have a host of festivals the celebrate their cultures and ideas. Be it Christmas, Hannukka, Yule or Yalda Night; many religions have a festival of lights that marks the triumph of light and good over darkness and evil. For some religions these are core festivals, intrinsically linked to faith. For others, they may be minor festivals but can be widely celebrated, even overshadowing those that are theologically more significant.  The traditions and theology behind these festivals is varied and makes for a fascinating lesson or lessons.

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[Start here]

Begin with revisiting or introducing Hindu worldview traditions. It is important to explain that Hindu traditions are many and varied. The western notion of “Hinduism” is an oversimplification of a religion and worldview that has many different traditions and approaches to faith. This is important as there are many different reasons for Diwali to be celebrated depending on which Hindu tradition a person is part of. You may wish to give a general summary, explaining that there is great variation in tradition and in the sacred texts that are used. There is no “Hindu Bible” that gives common stories. You could also dispel a few common misconceptions such as it being a strictly polytheistic religion.

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Diwali stories

Begin by exploring the reasons that Hindus celebrate Diwali. Some of these are associated with important sacred stories, including: The Story of Rama an Sita, The Defeat of Narakasura, and The Return of the Pandavas. There are many versions of these stories and you can find video versions online too. Reading and reflecting on these stories makes for a great starting point. You could explore each of these stories in more depth, and the wider Hindu canon, in following lessons.

Another reason to celebrate Diwali is worship of Lakshmi. The festival's main day is dedicated to the goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and good fortune. This is a great starting point for exploring Hindu gods and the nature of Brahman.

Diwali celebrations

Having explored the stories and theology behind Diwali, we can now explore the human aspect. While there are many reasons Hindus celebrate Diwali, the manner of celebration is similar. Central is the lighting of rows of diyas (earthenware oil lamps) or other lamps: Diwali means “row of lights” and this is a fundamental act symbolize the triumph of light over darkness and invites the deities into homes. Like many other festivals, homes and offices are cleaned and decorated; feasting and gifts are shared; new clothes are worn; and fireworks are lit.

Hindu Diwali takes place over five days. The five days of Diwali are known as Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj. Each day has a special focus such as welcoming and then worshipping Lakshmi, purifying oneself or marking the bonds between brothers and sisters. Look at each day in turn, exploring what is celebrated on each day and how it is celebrated. You may wish to look at regional variations or how these days are marked outside of India, such as traditions by British Hindus. While the bright lights and feasting will attract children’s attention, ensure that they do not miss the theological and worship aspects of the celebrations, such as performing pujas (rituals and prayers) and chanting mantras as part of the celebrations. In readiness for the final part of the lesson, children or a TA should make notes on how the days are celebrated.

Other traditions

While Hindu traditions are most famously associated with Diwali, the festival is also celebrated by millions of Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. For these faiths, the festival still carries the core message of the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil, but they relate it to key events and figures in their own histories.

For Jains, Diwali commemorates the nirvana (liberation) of their spiritual leader, Lord Mahavira, and is marked by prayer and solemn reflection. Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas ("Prisoner Release Day"), which honours the release of the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind, from prison. The Golden Temple in Amritsar is famously lit up to mark his return. Some Buddhists, particularly in Nepal, celebrate Diwali which is often called Ashok Vijayadashami.

Depending on age and ability, you could interrogate this information in a few ways. Children could make a Venn diagram of Hindu traditions and Jain and/or Sikhi comparing and contrasting the stories’ contents. Children could also research into how the different Diwalis are celebrated comparing practices.

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[Extending the lesson]

·       Explore the history and theology behind Diwali in Jain, Sikhi and Buddhist traditions.

·       Compare how one Abrahamic faith (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and Hindus mark their festivals of light. What is the same and what is different or unique?

·       Write your own version of one of the Hindu sacred stories for a younger child.

·       Compare how British and Indian Hindus mark Diwali.

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[Useful questions]

·       What does Diwali mean?

·       Why do we say Hindu traditions and not Hinduism?

·       Which religions celebrate Diwali?

·       Which foods would you expect at a Diwali party?