Ponniyin Selvan Varalaatru Peravai

Arun, yes of course the firecrackers and only a century or so old. In
olden times (I have some old records from my own ancestors) it was
celebrated with mud lamps on kolams. The British introduced fire
crackers starting with the sparkler/mathhappu and people starting using
them for many festive events including this. If you watch movies from
30s and 40s you can see how diwali is celebrated with lamps and
mathappus. See this movie from the 40s -



Diwali has hundreds of legends associated with it, some historical. It
is celebrated not just by Hindus but Sikhs and Jains also. My
astrologer used to say the sacred date is the reason why so many events
happened (or supposedly happened) at this time.

The Sun appears on Mesha Sankranti - or Aries Sign of the Zodiac and
sets of Tula Sankranti, .(The Sun entering the Aeries sign of the
Zodiac )The Sun sets in the Polar region on Tula Sankranti day (when
the Sun enters Libra) In the movement between these two signs there is
an interval of Six months . After the Sun gets in Libra the dark half -
year starts - in western countries it is winter and in our country it
is heralded by Deepavali. As we can see through this collection of
facts, tradition, and custom, Deepavali is a time of great joy and
prosperity, a time when the darkness of ignorance is lighted by the
bright light of knowledge and Truth.

The wiki link has a good collection of all the legends and historical
events surrounding this festival.

Malathi

After the Sun gets in Libra the dark
half -
> year starts - in western countries it is winter and in our country
it
> is heralded by Deepavali. As we can see through this collection of
> facts, tradition, and custom, Deepavali is a time of great joy and
> prosperity, a time when the darkness of ignorance is lighted by
the
> bright light of knowledge and Truth.



Seasonal affective disorder, a mood disorder with depressive symptoms
in the winter.
noted how all festivals during the season navarathri, diwali ,
karthigai are all about lighting bright lamps???




firecrackers thing is only a couple of
> centuries
> > old).

sure?
ithink the chinese had it for long time. the poor mans fire sparkler
is to light a coir rope at its end and go around in circles it causes
a beautiful ring of fire.







> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Arun
> >
>

Yes that is true. How *modern* fire crackers found their way into
India is via the British as far as we know. There wer firecrackers
even before that but not as safe or modern and even the discovery of
fire crackers is debated as possibly in India or Arabia, not
necessarily Chinese. We have documented evidence of using 'bomb' type
of crude 'crackers' to blast wells centuries ago, that is not the
type of crackers though that Diwali is about.

The reason I know this is by talking to someone who works for a
modern pyrotechnic company in Germany and exports firecrackers to US.
Where I live (Louisville) we have one of the world's greatest
fireworks once a year over the bridge, a truly visual treat!!

Malathi

>
> Dear Arun - Refer Alberuni's India of the medieval period which has
a
> reference to Deepavali.




I think there is a low priced edition from publications division of
the government


born 15 September 973 in Kath, Khwarezm, died 13 December 1048 in
Ghazni)
so he was between fa hien & huen tsang on one side and marco polo
and batuta on another.
india the the eyes of the visitor is very fascinating.

trivia: alberuni has been honoured with the stamp by ussr, iran and
afganistan.


venketesh