More than 600 Hindus prayed for prosperity in the new year Saturday night, the end of the three-day celebration of Diwali, which celebrates the triumph of good over evil.
Gifts of flowers, fruit and money were left at the altar of the goddess Lakshimi, the deity of wealth, who was surrounded by hundreds of candles burning through the evening.
Diwali is often called the festival of lights, said Sheila Kamath, a member of the Hindu Temple Society off Lukes Road.
"We decorate everything in lights," she said, "because it represents the light within each one of us."
During the festival, oil lamps are burned throughout the day and into the night to ward off darkness and evil. Many homes also place candles and electric lights in their windows, porches and driveways.
"Light is so significant in Hinduism because it signifies goodness," said Rita Jerath, a member at the temple.
After prayers, children at the temple beat a 10-headed pinata of Ravana, the fallen demon king who symbolizes evil.
Many Hindus also clean their homes and lay intricate designs of colored powder outside, celebrating after their prayers are said with an elaborate feast.
"We cooked for 800 people," Mrs. Kamath said. "Many of us have been here for three days cooking."
In India, Diwali is a time for the entire family to gather.
It has always been the festival with more social than religious connotations, said Swamy Mruthinti, a former chairman of the Hindu Temple Society's board of trustees. "It is a personal, people-oriented festival when enmities are forgotten; families and friends meet, enjoy and establish a word of closeness."
"In today's world, the celebrating of this day has its own importance in continuing to maintain the love and affection between friends and family members," he said. "Rabindranath Tagore expressed the true significance of Diwali in one beautiful line: 'The night is black. Kindle the lamp of love with thy life and devotion.' "
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WHAT IS DIWALI?
Diwali is the most significant religious festival for Hindus and marks the start of a new year, says Swamy Mruthinti, a former chairman of the Hindu Temple Society's board of trustees. The holiday is also known as Deepawali. In Sanskrit, "deepa" means light and "avali" means a row, which translates to "the row of lighted lamps" and lends Diwali its nickname as the festival of lights.
"Every home, from the humble huts of the poor to the magnificent mansions of the rich, are aglow with twinkling diyas," or lamps, Mr. Mruthinti said. One legend associated with the holiday suggests Diwali originated as a festival marking the final harvest of the year before winter. It was a time for businessmen to close accounts and begin a new year.
The deity of wealth in Hinduism is therefore thanked on this day and everyone prays for a good year ahead, with the small earthen lamps serving to welcome the goddess Lakshimi, Mr. Mruthinti said.
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