motif designs: DIWALI - the TRUE MEANING

shubh deepawali

Deepavali is an Indian festival and popularly known as the "festival of lights", but the most significant spiritual meaning is "the awareness of the inner light". Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. The celebration of Deepavali as the "victory of good over evil" refers to the light of higher knowledge dispelling all ignorance, the ignorance that masks one's true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With this awakening comes compassion and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This brings anand (joy or peace). Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Deepavali is the celebration of this Inner Light.

While the story behind Deepavali and the manner of celebration varies from region to region (festive fireworks, worship, lights, sharing of sweets), the essence is the same – to rejoice in the Inner Light (Atman) or the underlying Reality of all things (Brahman).

This festival is celebrated with fireworks, worshiping lord ganesha and goddess laxmi, gifting and sharing sweets and decorating homes. I am sharing a few things that I would want to do on this diwali hoping they might become a part of your decor this festive season :

diya / oil lamp

Traditional Indian way of lighting specifically on this festival. Diyas can be self decorated or just wrapped in foil or can be brought ready made

diwali diya market

clay diya

lac diya

marble diya

ceramic diya

metal diya

diya decoration

designer diwali diya

diya arrangement

another diya arrangement

candles

Candles are also used in this festival to light up home, variety of candles can be used for this purpose. Use candles in such a way that they blend with the decor and give your home an ethnic touch.

matki candles

lac candle

Candles can be used in various containers to enhance their appearance.

floating candle

terracotta lanterns

glass lanterns

bangles glued together to form candle holder

marble candle holder

glass bangle candle holder

glass mosaic candle holder

Candles can also be made at home like crayon candles, gel candle and also candle holders can be customized at home with bangles, mirrors, sequins, beads, paints, ribbons, etc

crayon candle

lighting

lighting can be done by either LED or bulb light ropes/ strips/ net etc. These lights come in various colors, patterns, forms and designs.

A house well decorated with lights

LED light strings

light strings hanging above driveway

net LED lights

kandil

Kandil are diwali lanterns hung as a part of tradition symbolizing light.

multicolored kandils

yellow kandil

other kandil like lanterns

flowers

Flowers used during this festival are fragrant and vitalize the senses. flowers like marigold and jasmine are more often used, but rose, zarbera, sunflower can be used to add color. flowers can be used in different places like with floating candles or in a pot of water or filled in a jar or strands hung through out the place or wrapped on stair rail/ door knob/ furniture or hung in a net bag or hung to the ceiling or against walls etc.

marigold garlands hung against walls

marigold hung on ceiling

jasmine flower garlands

simple flower decoration

rangoli

rangoli making is a part of indian tradition during diwali. it is usually made by arranging different colored substances to make an abstract or a beautiful pattern.

rangoli can be made on floor or in water, water rangoli is usually made by flower arrangement in water while that on floor can be made from colors, colored rice, husk, flowers, spices, flour etc.....

diyas or floating candles can be added for illumination and beauty.

also readymade rangoli stickers are available which can be directly glued to the floor or rangoli stencils are available for people not expert in rangoli making.

colored rice grains

rangoli with colors

rangoli of flowers

rangoli of vegetable ( capsicum)

water rangoli

rangoli with diyas

rangoli stickers

rangoli with stencil

toran

Toran is an Indian door hanging which is all about those who live within and those who visit. It is almost the first thing a visitor sees even before the door to the house is opened. It is strung across the top of the frame that makes an Indian doorway.

toran with mirror and bead work

toran with marigold and mango leaves hanging on entrance door

idols

Diwali is the festival of Laxmi, the Goddess of prosperity and wealth. It is believed that Goddess Laxmi visit everyone during Diwali and brings peace and prosperity to all. On the night of Diwali "Lakshmi-Pujan" is performed in the evenings. A traditional Pujan is performed after sunset in all the homes.

Five pieces of ghee diyas (lamps) are lit in front of the deities, naivedya of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess and devotional songs are sung in praise of Goddess Laxmi. After Deepawali Puja people light diyas (lamps) in their homes to usher in light and clear the darkness from the world.

Ganesha laxmi idols

shubh labh hangings

others

other things that can be done on Diwali can be like picking up a theme like mirrors or sequins or rajasthani or any specific color or lac. based on this theme you can decorate your home and create some different interesting patterns and forms.

some ceramic diya hangings

terracotta wind chime

terracotta decor pieces

terracotta bells

colored lantern candles

mirrored coaster to increase illumination

beaded coaster

diyas with ghungroo

also something different can be done this diwali to make everyones tummy happy, bake a cake or cookies with rangoli pattern or happy diwali written on it.