Diwali, the “Festival of Lights”, is one of the most important times on the Hindu calendar. In honor of this holiday, Spice Route will be preparing a special Diwali Buffet for our diners. Join us on Wednesday, November 11th to celebrate with a selection of quality, South Indian-style dishes!
The roots of Diwali go back to ancient India, when it probably started out as a harvest festival. Different belief systems will attach different lore to the first Diwali; to some, it is the anniversary of the marriage between Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Others associate it with the return of the god Rama, his wife and his brother from exile, as described in the ancient Hindu tale titled Ramayana, or the return of Pandavas as detailed in Mahabharata. Various groups in various parts of the world will mark the occasion with different customs, but, in whatever form it may take, it is always a celebration of the triumph of the forces of good over evil.
Preparations for the festival start weeks in advance with various religious rituals. People will decorate their homes and businesses lavishly with flowers and colorful diyas and rangolis. Diwali itself arrives either on October or early November, depending on the phases of the moon. When the festivities begin, people will gather together with friends and families to partake of traditional feasts and sweets. The night of the full moon is the most important night of the five-day celebration; it is here, on the darkest time of the month, that communities will light up the night with candles, lanterns, and firework displays. It is from this that the celebration gets its name, as well as its reputation for being the biggest and brightest festival in India.
No matter who you are or where you come from, Diwali is a time for people to come together in the name of peace, kindness, and charity. Come celebrate at Spice Route in Bellevue!
