Festival of Lights.
The Hindu festival of Diwali (Deepavali), celebrated tomorrow, holds multiple interpretations, all rooted in the triumph of virtue over vice.
Traditionally, Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Rama, alongside His wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after a 14-year exile. The festival is also closely associated with Goddess Lakshmi, who symbolises wealth in its broadest sense, encompassing both material and spiritual abundance.
A central event of the festival, however, is Krishna’s defeat of Narakasura, a demon representing darkness (tamas), ignorance (avidya), ego (ahamkara), and unrighteousness (adharma). In a fierce battle, Krishna summons his sudarshan-chakra (discus) to decapitate Narakasura, symbolising the restoration of Light (dharma) over darkness.
In Goa, a unique tradition marks this victory: on Diwali’s eve, towns and villages construct towering effigies of Narakasura. Following a night of celebration, these effigies are set ablaze at dawn – a re-enactment of Krishna’s triumph and a renewal of the festival’s enduring message.