I was raised in a Bengali Hindu family. For us, to celebrate Diwali is to worship the goddess, Kali. I tell you this because Diwali, which may be the only Hindu holiday you’ve heard of, means different things to different communities. If your family comes from North India, your Diwali story lifts a page from the epic tale of Ramayana. The people of his kingdom light oil lamps — diyas — to guide him back home.

Source: New York Times November 14, 2020 16:41 UTC