Divali

[Vinayaka]

Happy Divali everyone. May the light of divinity shine upon you.

 

[ameyAtmA]

 

[ameyAtmA]

In case anyone skipped the words on the greeting thinking it is the devnagari script, (those who are not Hindu may not be familiar).
the greeting is in English. An old fun way to make it appear devnagri (sanskrit script)

"merge yourself in this light of lights. shubh deepavali" all lower case.

Bhagvad Geeta 13 says Brahman' is "jyotishAM api jyoti" (light of lights)

 

[Terese]

Happy Diwali everyone

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Subh Diwali everyone ! I hope you all had a great célébration~

 

[Sand Dancer]

Happy Divali everyone. May the light of divinity shine upon you.

Can a non Hindu celebrate it? If so, how?

 

[Vinayaka]

Can a non Hindu celebrate it? If so, how?

Sure, just go to a Hindu temple and watch. Many will have fireworks. If you have Hindu friends, give them some sweets.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Sure, just go to a Hindu temple and watch. Many will have fireworks. If you have Hindu friends, give them some sweets.

Is there a certain time to go? What kind of sweets? Any specific kind?

 

[Vinayaka]

Is there a certain time to go? What kind of sweets? Any specific kind?

All temples vary. The temple I normally go to isn't of the sect that celebrates it much, and that was last night. (Calendars they use for such things vary.) They do celebrate it but not in a big way. Another temple in my city has a large celebration tonight with fireworks. It will be a huge crowd, and a highlight will be the food. That style of temple is more about socialising than worship. The one I go to is all about worship. So google nearby temples, and see if they have a website.

Indian sweets are often available at Indian restaurants or food stores. There are many unique to Divali.

 

[Vinidra]

Happy Diwali, everyone!

 

[Aupmanyav]

To you too, Vinidra; and to every one here. 'Jai Sri Rama'.

Can a non Hindu celebrate it? If so, how?

Now that Diwali is over, today is 'Govardhan Puja" (i.e., celebration of Krishna saving the people of Vraja from a deluge let down by Indra by lifting a whole mountain (Govardhan, as the legend says) to provide a shelter. Will be grandly celebrated by the Hare-Krishna temples more than the others). Tomorrow will be 'Bhai dooj', a festival of the celebration of the relationship between a brother and a sister (celebrated at Hindu homes). All it takes is to go and join the celebrations, have fun. Doors open, no attempt at proselytization, that is against the Hindu ethos.

Sweets, not really necessary. Perhaps some flowers or a garland for the deities.

Govardhan Mountain, Govardhan festivities

 

[Jainarayan]

I hope everyone had a nice, happy divali. I may as well have been off-planet... I did nothing. I wasn't even up to doing my home puja. I've been under the weather. This "condition" is draining me. I did not go to fireworks Saturday night, did not go to Narasimha abhishekam and Lakshmi Puja last night. I feel so bad, given that Maa Lakshmi has been very good to me in my personal life.

Well, there is next year... and next life... and next life... and...

So, a belated शुभ दीपवलि śubha dīpavali!

 

[Valjean]

In case anyone skipped the words on the greeting thinking it is the devnagari script, (those who are not Hindu may not be familiar).
the greeting is in English. An old fun way to make it appear devnagri (sanskrit script)

"merge yourself in this light of lights. shubh deepavali" all lower case.

Bhagvad Geeta 13 says Brahman' is "jyotishAM api jyoti" (light of lights)

LOL -- I was going to point out the same thing. Roman script stylized to look like devnagari.

 

[Jainarayan]

We see that all the time here. People do the same thing with Cyrillic, writing faux-Russian. Take something like this, which is incredibly stupid:

That's actually Lyaiold Schwlyazeieggeya.
Л or Λ = L
И = I
Я = "Ya" (also used for the pronoun I).

 

[Aupmanyav]

Well, there is next year... and next life... and next life... and...

Do that today, do not postpone it.

Take something like this, which is incredibly stupid.

Let them have some fun, Jai. Mybrother says- 'if we don't do something stupid, we would not have any fun'.

 

[Jainarayan]

Do that today, do not postpone it. Let them have some fun, Jai. Mybrother says- 'if we don't do something stupid, we would not have any fun'.

I like your brother's style.