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| Dgreetings » Gifts to India » Diwali Gifts » Diwali Gift Tradition |
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Diwali Gift Tradition |
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The venerable Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, is celebrated with such pomp and pageantry that one would thing Lord Rama is really returning after 14 years of exile. Legend has it that Lord Rama, the heir to the throne of Ayodhya, had been exiled for 14 years, courtesy an elaborate conspiracy hatched by his step mother. Being the dutiful son that he was, he obeyed his father's wishes and set out on the exile where time and time again he defeated the evil forces. |
His return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile was much anticipated and upon his arrival on a dark Amavasya night, the entire town erupted into jubilant cries of joy. Oil lamps were lit and very soon the entire town was shining like a precious jewel symbolizing the victory of light over darkness.
Ever Since, the dark Amavasya night in the Hindu month of Kartika has come to be celebrated as Diwali aka Deepawali. People light their homes with ornate diyas, oil lamps and rows of electric lights. The dark night sky glitters with a dazzling display of the finest fireworks. An at home, families gather together to perform the Lakshmi Pooja to thank god for his blessing and to invoke the blessings of the elusive Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. And then the Diwali Gifts are exchanged.
Exchange of gifts during Diwali is not by any measure a new tradition or a recent development. Only the rice, grains and livestock of the past have now been replaced by gold and silver, a reflection on the growing economy of the Indian middle class. Speculative and brilliant advertisers promote the Diwali festival as a festival to shop till you drop. People go on an annual shopping spree, running helter-skelter to buy gifts for everyone they know at never before prices.
Diwali is an annual stimulus for the Indian economy. Indians purchase gold, gifts, decorations, crackers and household appliances during this festival. Companies offer huge discounts during the Diwali season to attract customers, which helps the economy and also helps the poor. It also helps the community in hunger since this festival shares it food. It also brings tourists to the country.
Its not only the large malls and the fancy MBA marketers who gave rise to this popular trend, the smaller shops in the local bazaar and the touts are just as responsible. The Bazaars are decorated beautifully for the festival, with colored paper streamer and rows of electric lights stranded along the electric wires. The shimmering market place with its vendors, hagglers and bargainers makes it a paradise for those hunting for that perfect Diwali gift at the perfect cost. And once the gift has been bought (after bargaining for 20 minutes), head over to one of the food stalls and indulge in the delectable Diwali treats. Ah, the joys of greed and gluttony!
Gift Suggestions
Below are a few suggested gifts which you can send to your dear ones, friends and collegues.
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