Diipávalii Songs


 “I would like to invite you all to attend a festival of light. This light is both within and without and I would like to invite you to attend it permanently.”



“Failing to evolve any effective means to save the crops from the green leaf-hopper insects, farmers all over the world took the decision that they would arrange flames of light simultaneously during Karttikii Amavasya [the new moon night in the seventh month of the Bengali calendar.] The invasion of these flies would be at its worst during that time, and millions would meet their death by jumping into the flames. This configuration of lights is the prime reason behind the emergence of the festival of lights (diipávalii); other reasons for this festival came much later.”