Short essay on an Indian Festival (Free to read). India is a land of festivals. Every now and then we have a festival. It is because of India’s century’s old heritage and also because of great cultural intermingling.
However, of all the festivals which are celebrated in India, Dial is the one which is most pompously celebrated. It is celebrated by almost all the communities and people of all religions for one reason or the other. However, the most potent reason for its celebration is Ram’s return to Aloha after an exile of fourteen years. It denotes the ultimate victory of good over evil and reminds us of Ram’s obedience to and duty towards his parents, of Seta’s unimpeachable faithfulness, of brother’s eternal love for one another etc.
Dial comes off after the end of the rainy season. A few days before the festival, all the houses are cleaned and white-washed. Everything is spick and span. On the day of the festival, every house and shop offers a bridal outlook. Cheerfulness pervades the atmosphere. The shops are decorated with colorful buntings. There is a great rush especially at the sweetmeat and crackers’ shops. It is a grand gala day for children. They put on new attractive clothes and accompany their parents to the bazaars.
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The climax of the celebration is reached in the evening and at night. On the top of all the houses, we see the rows of lighted candles and earthen lamps. They are arranged in a symmetrical order. Hoe children burst crackers and display fire-works. The atmosphere is full of light and glory. It appears as if heaven has suddenly descended on earth, people meet each other in cheerful mood. People of different communities embrace one another. They exchange eatables, especially sweetmeats in a lovable manner. On seeing all this, only a fool will refuse to accept the reality of India’s unity in diversity.
Dial is also an important day for the traders. Many of them start their new account books on this day. In every house at night there is worship of the goddess, Lame. This “festival of lights”, as the Dial is called, is perhaps the happiest and most memorable day in the whole year for an ordinary man. Even the poorest regale themselves with sweets and lights on this day.
It is a pity, however, that many foolish people celebrate this holy day with bouts of drinking and night-long gambling. Many of them get ruined and repent afterwards. Some children catch fire while playing with crackers. Sometimes, stocks of crackers catch fire and there is huge loss to life and property.
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It is imperative that we celebrate our festivals with sobriety, restraint and caution to maintain their sanctity and elevating objective.