Diwali

The Hindu story: Lakshmi's return

In the most widely observed Hindu telling, Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and his defeat of the demon king Ravana — the people lit oil lamps (diyas) to welcome him home. But on the main night of Diwali (Amavasya), the primary worship is of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, wealth, and good fortune. On the darkest night of the lunar month, Lakshmi is believed to visit homes that are clean, bright, and welcoming. Diyas (oil lamps) are lit everywhere — on windowsills, doorways, rooftops — to invite her in.

Families perform Lakshmi puja (prayer), burst firecrackers, exchange sweets, draw rangoli (colorful floor patterns), and wear new clothes. Merchants open new account books on this night, as Diwali marks the beginning of the financial new year in several Indian traditions.

The Sikh story: Bandi Chhor Divas

Sikhs call this day Bandi Chhor Divas — "Day of Liberation." In 1619 CE, the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind, was imprisoned in Gwalior Fort by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir along with 52 Hindu princes. When his release was negotiated, Guru Hargobind refused to leave unless the princes were also freed. He designed a coat with 52 long strings so each prince could hold one and walk out with him. When he arrived at Amritsar, the Golden Temple was illuminated with lights to welcome him — and that illumination is what Sikhs mark on Diwali night. The story is about freedom, solidarity, and the refusal to accept one's own liberation while others remain captive.

The Jain story: Mahavira's nirvana

For Jains, Diwali marks the moment in 527 BCE when Lord Mahavira — the 24th and final Tirthankara (spiritual teacher) of Jainism — attained moksha (liberation/nirvana) and left the cycle of rebirth. As his soul ascended, it is said that the other gods lit lamps to honor him. Jains light lamps not to invite Lakshmi's prosperity, but to symbolize the light of Mahavira's knowledge illuminating the darkness of ignorance. Jain communities also observe Diwali as the beginning of their new year.

What it means

The shared element across all three traditions is light overcoming darkness — whether that is Rama's return over Ravana's evil, Guru Hargobind's freedom over captivity, or Mahavira's enlightenment over ignorance. The oil lamp is the symbol each tradition uses, but what the lamp represents differs. This makes Diwali an instructive case for interfaith understanding: the same ritual object, the same night, three genuinely different theological meanings — none of them reducible to the others.