| Folk Arts - Indian TraditionsDiwali, the Festival of Lights, is one of the most widely-celebrated festivals in India. It is celebrated throughout India not only as a religious festival but also as a social event. For many it is a celebration of the time that Rama and Sita returned to their kingdom after 14 years of exile. For students it is a time to pay tribute to Sharada (also known as Saraswati), the goddess of wisdom and learning. It is also a harvest festival, as well as a time for farmers to sow winter crops and for merchants to start the new fiscal year. For everyone in India it marks the end of the hot season and the beginning of mild weather.
Traditional rituals, music, food, dance, and dramas are customary components of Diwali festivals. Lamps, candles, and lights of many kind are lit to welcome Laksmi, the goddess of wealth and abundance, who is attracted to the golden glow of these lights. To please Laksmi, traditional designs are drawn on the entrance floors or steps. The festival lasts for four days. One of these days is Brother's Day, bhau beez, when sisters honor their brothers with sweets and are given presents in return.
Here in Washington State, the Diwali Festival is a one-day event, comprised of traditional dance, music (both vocal and instrumental), and drama. In the Seattle area, the celebration is hosted annually by the India Association of Western Washington and Music and Cultural Society of India. Founded in 1984, the group serves the needs of the state's Indian communities, which total nearly 10,000 in the Puget Sound area. The Diwali Festival is the organization's and the community's most important cultural event, with approximately 1000 people attending. Like the Hmong New Year Celebration, the festival enables the community to maintain important links with its homeland through dance and music.
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