There are several theories pointing to the origin of this festival with one stating that the festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of the post – monsoon harvesting season. However, the festival is most often than not associated with Rama’s return from his fourteen year long exile and the great demon king Ravana’s execution at the hands of the former.

Rama’s return to Ayodhya

According to Hindu mythology, Kaikeyi, King Dashratha’s youngest wife and Bharat’s mother, stricken with jealousy tactfully forced her husband to exile her eldest son, Rama, whose blood mother was Kaushalya, for fourteen years on the eve of his son, Rama’s coronation ceremony. Rama, the embodiment of righteousness, an ideal son, husband and brother, acceded to his father’s helplessness and left Ayodhya with his wife, Sita, and younger brother, Lakshman. The trio donned a monk’s attire and journeyed southward on the banks of the river Godavari, where they built cottages and lived.

During their stay in the forests, Rama and his brother, Lakshman, humbled a few menacing demons, who, in their bid to avenge Ravana’s sister’s humiliation at the hands of Lakshman, tried to kill them. The deaths of these demons consequently sparked an outrage against the brothers in the demon world to which Ravana, the mighty demon King, responded by abducting Sita with guile while she was alone in her cottage.

Rama and his brother, Lakshman, after hearing the news plan an attack on the demon king by joining hands with a monkey King. Rama and his army of monkeys lay siege on Lanka, Ravana’s kingdom, and annihilate the powerful demon army and then go on to vanquish the mighty demon king, Ravana.

Meanwhile, the trio completes their fourteen year exile and prepares to return to Ayodhya. On hearing the news, Bharat, Kaikeyi’s son and Rama’s younger brother, who as a respectful gesture to his elder brother, Rama, refuses to sit on the throne and instead places Rama’s footwear on it after the latter left for his exile, jumps in exultation and prepares the kingdom for a grand welcome. The people of Ayodhya too are elated on hearing the news and clean their houses and decorate them with flowers, garlands, candles and earthen lamps (Diya). On the day of Rama’s return, every corner of every street was cleaned, watered and painted with colorful designs called ‘Rangolis’. The entire kingdom erupted with joy on having their dear King, Rama, back.

Narakasura’s execution

Narakasura, an invincible demon who ruled Pradyoshapuram, was obliterated by Krishna’s wife, Satyabhama, in order to rescue the people of Pradyoshapuram from the demon’s atrocities. The myth says Narakasura underwent a severe penance in an effort to seek blessings from Lord Brahma, who eventually acknowledged his devotee’s sincerity by granting him a powerful boon that he would only succumb to death at the hands of his mother, the earth goddess, Bhudevi. Krishna’s wife, Satyabhama, was a reincarnation of Bhudevi.

Krishna knew of this and cleverly sought help from his wife, Satyabhama, in a battle that was to ensue between him and the demon, Narakasura. Satyabhama accompanied Krishna to the battleground as his charioteer. However, after Krishna fell unconscious on being hit by Narakasura’s arrow, Satyabhama took charge and effortlessly killed Narakasura with an arrow. After the battle, Krishna reminds her of her reincarnation and the boon she had sought as Bhudevi.

This mythical story is not just a story about the unfathomable physical and mental prowess of gods and goddesses, but also one that conveys a simple yet powerful message, which says that every parent is under a moral obligation to punish his/her children should they tread a wrong path. And that the good of the society and not personal bonds should be placed on a higher pedestal. The myth also says that Bhudevi, Narakasura’s mother, announced that her son’s death should not be mourned, but celebrated.

Incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi

Lakshmi, the embodiment of sublime beauty, opulence and divine grace, is a Hindu goddess who rules health, wealth, spiritual, material and intellectual prosperity, and fertility. She came into being as a result of a conquest undertaken by the gods and demons for achieving immortality.

Both the smaller gods and demons initially were mortal. In order to be immortal, they decided to consult Vishnu, who helped them churn the ocean of milk, Kshirsagar, for Amrit (the nectar of immorality). In this process, a number of divine celestial objects including Lakshmi surfaced. Amrit, however, was the last one to come up. But the gods could only consume the nectar of immortality if the demons were in some way distracted. Vishnu then took form of a beautiful maiden and distracted the demons helping the gods achieve immortality.

Ever since, Goddess Lakshmi has dwelled in the heavens and accompanies Lord Vishnu each time he descends on earth as a manifestation of himself in human or superhuman or animal form.

Diwali as a Harvest Festival

Among the many Diwali legends, most of which are strong manifestations of unflinching Hindus beliefs, there is one legend that deviates from religion and moves into the realm of provable historical facts. This theory, which points to the festival’s origin, stems from India’s cultural, social and economic history. It states that Diwali is celebrated to mark the onset of the post–monsoon harvesting season. Speaking of which, the defining role of India’s agrarian society in carving her economic structure gets starkly highlighted.

Owing to the heavy influence of agriculture on the Indian society, quite a few festivals celebrated in India find their roots in the land of farmers. However, there is an identifiable difference in the way different Indian societies celebrate these festivals. In rural India, the harvesting festivals are celebrated by observing traditional rituals that reciprocate God’s generosity in providing the farmers with a bountiful cropping season. Whereas, the urban masses celebrate these festivals by observing rituals that pay an obeisance to God for His generosity in showering wealth and prosperity on them. These festivals may not be celebrated in the same manner, but the fact that some typical traditions and customs associated with these harvesting festivals found their way to the modernized urban society goes to prove each Indian’s unyielding commitment to his cultural values.