The festival of Diwali is near. Indians living all over the world celebrate it with great enthusiasm. But do you know that Sri Lanka, the land of Ravana, also celebrates Diwali in a very special way. While the festival here differs slightly from India’s traditional five-day Diwali, its emotional and religious connotations remain the same.
Let’s know how Diwali is celebrated in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a multi-religious country, home to Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Among these, the Tamil Hindu community celebrates Diwali as a symbol of the victory of good over evil. The story of Rama and Ravana is not directly mentioned here, as Ravana is still revered as a learned and powerful king in Sri Lanka.
Preparations and traditions
In Sri Lanka, Diwali is called the Lamp Festival or Lam Kriong. Before the festival, houses are cleaned, called “Suthu Kandu”, to remove negativity and welcome positive energy. Markets are decorated with lamps and decorations, and people buy new clothes, jewelry and sweets, it’s just like India.
On the morning of the festival, Tamil families begin the day with an oil bath, a symbol of purity. Rangoli is made of rice flour at the doors of houses, and small lamps made of banana leaves are lit. Candles, coins and incense are placed in these lamps, which are then floated in rivers or lakes, symbolizing prosperity.
The splendor of Diwali in Colombo
The evening of Diwali is a special occasion in the capital Colombo. Hundreds of devotees throng the ancient Shiva temple, Ponnambalavaneshwar Devasthanam for worship. The temple is lit up with lamps, and a special aarti is performed. It is believed that on this day, Lord Shiva and Goddess Lakshmi are worshiped for peace and prosperity. Diwali in Sri Lanka is not limited to Colombo. Tamil-majority areas like Jaffna, Trincomalee and Kandy also see the same lighting of lamps.