The Conversation - Why is Diwali celebrated

Each year as Diwali approaches, it calls to my mind the many stories around its origins I heard as a child in India. For many Hindus, it’s a celebration of the victory of the valiant God Rama, who rescued his consort Sita from the demon king Ravana, or the marriage of the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi.

But these were not the only stories – people from other religions, and even other regions, would have other legends as a reason to celebrate the festival. These stories would be told as diverse communities gathered on the day to share sweets and other foods and light candles.

As Indian Americans prepare to celebrate this festival of lights on Nov. 14, Texas State University’s Natasha Mikles writes that in these diverse stories there is a shared argument – that good after all will triumph over evil – something worth celebrating, especially in our chaotic times.

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