Hanukkah – Jewish Festival of Lights

While I was searching for write-ups on our Festival of Lights, I bumped into Hanukkah – the jewish Festival of Lights. Found it very interesting and thought of posting it here.

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated for eight days, commencing on the 25th day of the month of Kislev (November/December), to commemorate the victory of the Jews over the Hellenist Syrians in 165 BCE.

Following their victory, the Maccabees, sons of the Priestly Hasmonean family which led the Jews in their revolt against the Syrian overlords, entered the Holy Temple in Jerusalem defiled by the Syrian invaders, cleansed it and dedicated it anew to the service of God. Then, in memory of their victory, the Maccabees celebrated the first Hanukkah. (Hanukkah is the Hebrew term for dedication).

The Talmud, the body of Jewish oral law, relates how the Judean heroes, led by Judah Maccabee, were making ready to rededicate the Temple  and were unable to find enough undefiled oil to light the lamps. However, in one of the Temple chambers, they finally came upon a small cruse of oil which, under normal circumstances, would have lasted only one evening. Miraculously, this small amount of oil kept the Temple lights burning, not for one night, but for all the eight nights until new oil fit for use in the temple could be obtained. This is the miracle commemorated by the kindling of the Hanukkah lights.

Festival of Lights

Deepavali is round the corner and this happens to be my most favorite festival. I love to light the Diyas, wear a nice Pattu saree (Reshme Seere) and visit friends and relatives distributing sweets. I truly love to prepare sweets at home and also dress up my daughter in Pattu Pavadai (Jari Langa).  So, just could not resist doing this blog.

First of all, A very happy Deepavali to all of you.  May the festival of lights bring in tremendous joy, happiness and properity into your lives. May you achieve what you set out to achieve…

Deepavali

Diwali is popularly known as the “festival of lights”, the most significant spiritual meaning is “the awareness of the inner light”.

Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Diwali is the celebration of this inner light, in particular the knowing of which outshines all darkness (removes all obstacles and dispels all ignorance), awakening the individual to one’s true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With the realization of the Atman comes universal compassion, love, and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This brings Ananda (inner joy or peace).

The gunas are the underlying forces or tendencies which one needs to have unaffected, direct relation with in order to find effectiveness and righteousness in life: they are lines of potential and illuminate thought and action, thus the inner meaning of Diwali being the festival of lights.

Diwali celebrates this through festive fireworks, lights, flowers, sharing of sweets, and worship. While the story behind Diwali varies from region to region, the essence is the same – to rejoice in the inner light (Atman) or the underlying reality of all things (Brahman)

Read the entire article here

Collage Competition – Fun at Work

As part of the Fun at Work month, we had a “Collage Competition” at Office today. I am posting few pictures from the same.

The topic was “Festivals & Celebrations” – and guess what each team concentrated on in their theme? – FOOD, ofcourse

Title of this collage ——– “The FOOD Festival”

Topic of this collage ——— “Food & Illness”

Title of this collage ——– “Festivals, Celebrations & Food”