Rani Celebrating Deepavali in Her Palace

Rani Celebrating Deepavali in Her Palace

Attributed to Nainsukha, Kangra School,18th Century CE

            Deepavali is an ancient festival. Initially it was celebrated to mark Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya after spending fourteen years in the forest. Subsequently, it became the festival for praying to Goddess Lakshmi,  the goddess of wealth. It also marks the beginning of the Hindu financial year.  In Bengal, on the other hand, Goddess Kali is worshipped on Deepavali. While for North India Deepavali is a major festival,  in South India it is hardly celebrated. 

             Here we see the Rani sitting in a chair. Both she and another Lady are busy with fire crackers. The maids have lit lamps all over the palace. There is music and light, gaiety and celebrations all around. Interestingly whole many  women are wearing Hindu dresses, the ghaghara and the odhani, ( the skirt and the stole), other women are sporting the Mughal dress of the inner pajama and Mughal caps. The life of the palace reflects the composite culture of its time. 

             Deepavali is a festival which celebrates our coming out of the woods: of destroying the prejudices,  the bad deeds, the evil spirit in us. And thereby moving from the darkness of our personality to the light within us. It is a celebration of our rebirth each year. 

            May the divine light inside you ever burn so brightly as to light up every corner of your  home, office and of our nation.