In the United States, there is a holiday called
Christmas. In Christian households, while the children are sleeping, a
magical being named Santa Claus visits homes on Christmas eve, and
leaves presents and stockings full of candy for children to find when they
wake up in the morning.
In India, there is
a holiday called Divali. In Hindu households, while the children are
sleeping, a magical being named Lakshmi visits homes on Divali, and leaves
presents and candies for the children to find when they wake up in the
morning.
Lakshmi is the ancient Hindu goddess of prosperity. To find the
homes of good Hindu children in India, on the Hindu holiday of Divali, she
follows the light of dipa lamps,
placed on window ledges and driveways. While children are sleeping,
Lakshmi enters, enjoys the food left for her, and leaves "prosperity" in the form of presents and candies.
In ancient India, and in modern times as well, Dipa lamps
are used to grant wishes. Legend
says ... to be granted a wish, you must light a
dipa lamp and put it in a waterway. If the lamp reaches the other side of
the river or creek, your wish will be granted.
