On The Design Boat

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Let There Be Light

We are in the midst of festive season. The 'festival of lights', Diwali is nearly here and the household is gearing up to welcome the Gods. Kids are excited about decorating, making rangolis, lighting diyas & candles, new clothes, sweets and so much more.

One of the major festivals of India, Diwali is synonymous with 'light'. Landscapes become a riot of lights around this time, in all colors and hues. Be it lanterns, diyas, string lights or candles, everyone celebrating Diwali decks up their spaces.

Image: Etsy AngasanaSeedsPhoto

Light in spiritual terms is knowledge. The reason we see (both the material & beyond) is because there is light. Light is a tool to determine that we are not alone in the universe - light from distant bodies travels to us, pinpointing their locations, and, we use light again to measure how far we are from others in the creation.

Light, in broad terms for us - Sun, nourishes life on Earth. Sun is worshiped in many cultures, settlements since prehistoric times have oriented their dwellings to face the Sun.

This is the same light that comforts by creating shade in scorching summers or by warming us on a freezing winter day. This light gives gemstones their worth, funnily it can destroy too - try opening a photographic film in daylight or focusing a magnifying glass on a piece of paper!

Being from India, light to me is also the mystic - the holy city of Varanasi was created when Shiva's 'shaft of light' hit the Earth and illuminated the Universe. Light then is holy and is also about new beginnings...

On this note, as we look to light up our homes this festive season - a journey into the world of light, in its different forms :)

(For those of us inclined to shop, links in image credits)