The oil lamps called "diyas" have been lit for Diwali, the Festival of Lights, in Guwahati, India. Diwali is a five-day celebration of the symbolic victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Diyas are a traditional symbol of the festival, and they are arranged on a rangoli, a colorful pattern made on the floor using dried rice flour, colored powdered stone, flower petals, or other colorings. Rangoli designs are more than just attractive—they"re believed to attract Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. Each day of the festival has its own significance, but day three—called Lakshmi Puja—is considered the main event. To prepare for Lakshmi Puja, people clean their homes to welcome Lakshmi"s blessings of prosperity and happiness. A rangoli design is created near the entrance to a home or building, and families pass down traditional designs from generation to generation.
Diwali lights in Guwahati, India
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
One for the books
-
New beginnings
-
Australian baobab tree, Kimberley region, Western Australia
-
Channel Country, Australia
-
Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe
-
Happy birthday, Capitol Reef National Park
-
Celebrating the Acadians
-
Serra de Tramuntana, Majorca, Spain
-
The mighty, mighty mushroom
-
An island in the Highlands
-
Milky Way over Zabriskie Point, California
-
Heron lies the Salton Sea
-
New Year s Eve in Sydney, Australia
-
Agüero, Huesca province, Spain
-
Dolomites
-
It s aboat time for the Barcolana
-
International Day of Color
-
Observing a squirrelly day
-
Summer solstice
-
The Lena Delta Wildlife Reserve in Siberia, Russia
-
Diamond Beach, Iceland
-
Summer winds down in the Southern Hemisphere
-
Old man s whiskers growing wild
-
3, 2, 1 … Happy New Year!
-
Kagami-ike, Nagano, Japan
-
Celebrating Chile’s Independence Day
-
Trevi in bloom
-
‘Ocian in view! O! The joy.’
-
Jazzed for Mardi Gras
-
A river runs through it