One of India's greatest festivals, Diwali, is well known as the festival of lights, but did you know that it is also associated with book keeping, and that accounts for the year are closed on that day?

If not, then read on!

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Hindu devotees gather to offer Diwali prayers on the banks of river Ganges in the northern Indian city of Varanasi. [Photo Credit]

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Connections with Divinity

Diwali, the short form of the Sanskrit Deepa Wali, is one of India's largest festivals when the whole country is lit up with lights. Deepa, which means light and Wali which means a line or row, is celebrated for many reasons through the breadth of the country, but its origins seems to have been much more humble, and was more connected with the mundane realities of everyday life.

But these days it is celebrated with different reasons in the different parts of the country. And they are more connected with divinity and religious symbols than they were meant for. The Northern part of India celebrate the defeat of Ravana at the hands of Rama, while the Southern parts celebrate it as the day that Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura. Western India and some parts in the North-East celebrate the day when the God Vishnu vanquished and sent the demon king Bali, back to the nether worlds!

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Colorful Diwali Lanterns. [Photo Credit]

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Start of a Festival

Celebrated every year in Oct/Nov, as per the Hindu Lunar calendar, the festival of Diwali is said to have originated to celebrate after the final harvest of the year. India had a society built around agriculture and a festival was born after the last harvest of the year, when everyone thanked the gods for the good harvest and prayed for a good and bountiful year ahead.

But it also became the day when you closed all accounts for the past year, and the day after, was considered the start of a new year. As the festival was widely adopted, the day became widely used in financial activities as the crossover day, and has been used as such till today.

So every business in India, be it small or large, shall be starting a new financial year today, the 31st of Oct., after having closed their books of account for the preceding year, and any transaction made since, will be a transaction in the new year!

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The Holy Golden Temple of the Sikhs at Amritsar, lit up for Diwali. [Photo Credit]

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And everybody celebrates

Though the festival has religious overtones to an extent, it has transcended all dogmas and is today the festival of the Indian people, with people of every faith who considers himself an Indian, celebrating it with abandon.

Sikhs, Jains, Buddhist and even Christians and Muslims in India are united beautifully when it comes to this festival. And it is an inspiration for the younger generation, who see the sheer goodness of the bonding despite the diversities, and how celebrating together can make superficial differences sound petty!

Happy Diwali to all my Steemit Friends!

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