Obama Diwali

President Obama has recently been declared as winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. It seems that he does not want to leave any stone unturned to justify the award. For the first time an American President has celebrated the event with lighting a “diya” in the East Room of the White House. He justified his action by saying that, he is celebrating the event to mark the victory of “good over evil”. By celebrating the event at White House, President Obama has given the official significance to the event.
Diwali is celebrated by lighting diyas, by the followers of Jains, Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists. Each religion has its own significance of the event. Obama’s assertion of the event as victory of good comes from the Hindu legend that on the day of Diwali, Rama returned after having defeated Ravana and an exile of 14 years in jungle. Jains mark the event as attainment of Enlightenment by Mahavira. Sikhs celebrate the event as the return of Guru Har Gobind Ji who was the sixth Guru of the Sikhs. He was jailed by Mughal King Jahangir along with some 52 other non-Muslim kings.
There are many rites to celebrate the event. Diwali apart from being a celebration of light is celebrated differently by the people of different religions. For example Indians celebrate Diwali by arranging Melas or festivals. In a mela many stalls are erected, where people buy and sell things. Women celebrate the event by wearing glittered clothes, bangles and having Henna on their hands.