Happy Diwali ! Hindu festival of light
The Hindu festival of Diwali celebrates the victory of Good over the Evil and Light over Darkness. It also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. In 2016, Diwali falls on November 11. Lighting lamps, candles, and fireworks are a big part of Diwali. It’s a celebration of light! Can you see those celebratory lights from space? No. More about that below. But you can enjoy it all the same.
An ancient festival to celebrate the triumph of light over dark and good over evil, Diwali – from the Sanskrit word deepawali, meaning row of lights (from the Sanskrit ‘Deepa, meaning light, and Avali, meaning a row) – is also significant in other religions including Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.
It marks the homecoming of the God Lord Ram after vanquishing the demon king Ravana.
Diwali is also the Hindu New Year and therefore a major holiday in India, although it’s also celebrated by millions across the world, from India, Nepal and Malaysia to … the UK, with thousands attending Diwali lights switch-on events around the country.
The main festival night of Diwali takes place on the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika – all the better to see the fireworks and enjoy the symbolic burning of lamps and candles.
Now about seeing the lights of Diwali from space …
Here’s a real image of India during Diwali: the image below is an image of India during the time of Diwali.NASA says the extra light produced during Diwali
