Tuesday, December 31, 2013

WHY HINDUS RUSH TO TEMPLE TO CELEBRATE NEW YEAR?

Why Hindus rush to temple to celebrate New Year?
(Discourse by N. R. Srinivasan, Nashville, T.N., USA. January 2014)

On this eventful day, December 31 and New Year’s Eve, I recall my first snow driving experience all night long from Albany to Pittsburgh on New Year’s Eve night of 1984  to have the morning darsan (vision) of  Lord Venkateswara   during  Abhisheka ceremony conducted  for the devotees who throng the temple  seeking prosperity and health throughout the year. I did not realize at that time that January 1, is not a religious sacred day for Hindus and it was worth taking that much trouble  and  risk in life driving through snow storm all night to have the glimpse of  the Abhishekam and seek a personal favor from God. I was foolish   then to join my crazy friends of engineers and doctors to take such a risk with life with my nascent experience to drive through Highway all night long through snow storm. I thanked Lord Venkateswara all through the way for saving my life and co-passengers and also for the help and excellent service rendered by efficient snow crew who cleared the snow as fast as they could to help crazy passengers like us moving at snail’s speed just to pray for personal prosperity in this land of opportunities where hard work matters. Such a help on such ghostly night was impossible to think of in India from the government staff.  I was glad I could make my trip successful to witness the Abhishekam ritual  and offer my prayers to seek personal favor from Lord Venkateswara which I needed badly at that time as I was just settling down with my family hoping to educate my children in USA. But Lord Venkateswara had his own plans. He just taught me a lesson for my selfishness seeking personal favor.  

My chairman who was a crook and who sought my services from UNIDO panel of experts soon recovered from losses, built a fortune with my help, burnt the factory, claimed all inflated losses from insurance, built a mansion on Lake George and went under chapter 11 and threw me out of the job in March that year and settled happily retired to build fortune further from the ill earned money through stock market.  All my prayers probably got diverted to my crooked boss to teach me a lesson. All I knew about him was that he was a pious catholic who regularly attended church and who believed in Jesus’s death for the sin of all. However while he blessed him for a while he led a miserable life living alone as his not well educated children fought with him and left him to lead a miserable life.  I do not know whether the good Lord helped him further with his gamble with stock market.

I soon realized Lord Venkateswara taught me two lessons in life. He was punishing me for my greed to leave India to seek a sudden fortune when he had given me all the comforts in life in India with a coveted senior executive job in Tatas. He was also laughing at my foolish journey to Pittsburgh to seek a personal favor. He had a good look at my Karmaphala and made my mission complete in USA to educate my children well, get them married in our own community, settle comfortably in lucrative jobs and achieve my goal of rising from poor to upper middle class status. I did not become Bill Gates or Narayan Moorthy though I had the early indication. Somewhere in the middle I faltered.

I was wondering what made these affluent engineers and doctors to drive to Pittsburgh on that treacherous night?  It is the blind belief not knowing that Gregorian New Year’s Day has no significance to Hindus and it was an ordinary day like any other day for us. You don’t run to temple on January 1 to worship in India but celebrate it as a National Holiday of secular India.  It is the assumed eighth day of the birth of Jesus Christ and the day of his circumcision as a Jew and January 1 was forced on all humanity by Pope Gregory (a sort of proselytization) making it   first of  day Gregorian Calendar to make it ritualistic for all.  Hindus believe on auspicious time called muhurtha for any such special ritual and not any day any time. These first generation Hindus were driven by the belief that Gregorian New Year is yet another Yugadi (Chandramana New Year) and Chitra Vishu(Sauramana New Year) when Samvatsara is meditated upon as  Kaala (Time) or Samvatsara (Year), for Supreme Spirit Brahman is custodian of Time. Any worship without this thought and with the sole intention of seeking personal favor will not succeed in the long run though some may be tempted by momentary gains.  I was foolish to join this materially educated crowd (para vidya) at that time as I was still immersed in my orthodox bringing up and influence from  acquired blind belief from religious atmosphere. 

When I retired I turned my attention to spiritually elevate myself and now I believe that my prayer should be without any self-motive and universal in appeal leaving the choice to Him for He knows what is best for me based on my balance sheet Karmaphala which I have the opportunity to amend by my own action.  My prayer now is: Viswaani deva savitar duritaani paraasuva / Yad bhadram tanma aasuva // [Oh! Resplendent Lord Savitar, The cause of the universe! Do destroy all our sins; grant us that which is ultimately good to us! With this introduction let us examine why American Hindus rush to temple on New Year’s day to offer special prayers and ask for personal favors.

It is customary for Hindus to rush to temple on every January 1 and offer special prayers seeking peace and prosperity from their chosen deities and it is a natural and traditional Hindu instinct. Hindus worship the Supreme Being (Brahman in Sanskrit) through their chosen deities.  It is difficult to find anywhere   the mention of the word Brahman in Rigveda. He is addressed and worshiped as elements of Nature and as natural cyclic phenomena like Samvatsara or Year or Time (Kaala). Hindus name their week after the five moving planets, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and the Sun and the Moon known as grahas in Sanskrit.   These are seven out of the nine grahas worshiped as Navagrahas in temples. We often hear from Upanishads that our ancient sages meditated upon these derived visible lights of planets and star from Brahman the Supreme Light, as Brahman alone.

The word Samvatsara (Year) stands for duration of Time which determines the origin, continuation and disappearance of the objects in the Universe.  Time is measured by diurnal movement of the Sun and the seasons which makes the human year. Time is identified with the Sun because we become cognizant of Time by the change brought about in Nature through the influence of the Sun and by the demarcation made by his rising and setting. The Sun is celebrated as Supreme Principle in Vedas and Upanishads as his Vyaahriti (aggregate). The Sun is not merely the visible glow in the sky, but the divine manifestation or Person (Purusha) contemplated there in our prayers to Soorya (sun worship). Therefore He is the same as the Supreme in his transcendent and immanent aspects. The word Samvatsara is derived from “samyak vasanti sarvabhootaani asmin iti samvatsarah”—all entities exist in this and so it is Samvatsara. Taking this meaning Samvatsara is identified with the Sun because it is the Sun that gives light, clouds, rains, and help creatures to live.    So Sun is worshiped on Makara sankranti Day on January 14 to celebrate   the harvest season in India. To spiritual thinkers it is the dawn of Uttaraayana, the day on which the Sun starts his Northern journey through the Path of Divines.
Manrtrapushpas are Vedic Mantras. Supreme Principle called Brahman in Veda is prayed as Samvatsara or Kaala or Time (Kaalaaya Namah-MNU). Lord Krishna in Bhagavadgeetaa says that every-thing in the Universe is created by him with the Time and also destroyed in Time, and so He is Time. Lord Krishna while describing himself  as Supreme Being to Arjuna in Geetaa says: “Aham   eva Akshayah kaalah (10-33).”—I am the endless Time. Akshaya Kaala, the endless time is also called Akaala Purusha or Kaala Niranjana. It is the Time form of Supreme Being.  Every devout Hindu who attends 16-step Pooja ritual in temples is well acquainted with the Vedic Mantrapushpa: “Aapo vai Samvatsarasya Aaayatanam”—Water comes from Samvatsara (Time).  

We are familiar with the following Mantras of Mahaanaaraayana Upanishad: “Nyaasa ityaahur maneeshinoe brahmaanam brahmaa viswah I katamah swayambhooh prajaapatih samvatsara iti Samvatsaroe asaavaadityoe ya esha aadityoe purushah sa parameshthee brahmaatma ||
Pundits declare that Saranaagati (complete surrender at the feet of the Lord called  Nyaasa or Prapatti)  is the  supreme ever existent means or supreme means of liberation,  to attain  Brahman; that Brahman who  is the Universal Spirit, is supremely blissful, is self-born, is the protector of created beings, is the soul of  Time (Samvatsara) and so forth. The Year is the yonder Sun. That Person (Purusha) who is in the Sun is Hiranyagarbha: He is Parameshthin (The protector of the Universe) and Brahmaatman—Supreme Reality that is the innermost Self of all creatures.

Rigveda says: “Ekam sad viprah bahudha vadanti agnim yamam maatarisvaanamaahuh” (The One Pundits call by many names as Agni (Fire God), Yama (God of Death) Maatarisva etc. Another Mantra in Rigveda says: “Tvamagne varunoe jaayace yattvam mitroe bhavaci yatsamiddhah | tve viswe sahasaasputra devaastvamindroe daasushe martyaaya|| [For one Supreme there are many names says this mantra emphatically. The one Fire God (Agni) is called Varuna at the time of birth: Since he is born during the last lap of night he is called Varuna. When Agni is friendly and prosperous he is called Mitra. All gods are present in Agni is evident by the fact all offerings to Gods are made to him. He is present in all creations. When one goes through a cross section of mantras in Rigveda, it is evident that   nowhere the word Brahman occurs. All worships are directed towards forces of Nature and to the Time and Season. Hence Time is also an entity (vyaahriti) on which Brahman is meditated upon as Samvatsara or Year.  Year is part of Time. Part can be represented by the whole grammatically. Hence Samvatsara  (Year) is Brahman.
Mahaanaaraayana Upanishad (MNU) has the following mantra: “Samvatsaroe asaavaadityoe ya esha Purushah | bhootaanaam adhipatir brahmanah saayujyam samaanaatmam aapnoeti” [Samvatsara is verily this Aaditya (Sun).This Purusha is the overlord of all beings. One who meditates upon Him like this attains equality with Brahman and attains his very world]. This implies Brahman is meditated upon as Samvatsara. It includes other types of years also as mentioned in Vedas. The cycle of sixty years in Hindu calendar is divided into twelve units of five years (12x5=60). The five groups of years which make the yuga are called Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Iduvatsara, Idaavatsara and Idvatsara (Taitaareeya Brahmana III-10-3).

Vedic sages meditated upon Brahman through the medium of scheduled sacrifices called Pravargya, Dasapoornamaasa, Chaaturmaasya, Pasubandha and Ahargana. Ahargana yajna devatas (deities) are   mentioned as Samvatsara and Parivatsara in MNU which is meant to include all other groups of years also.
Yet another Mantra of MNU says: “Sarve nimesha  jagnire vidyutah purushaadadhi| kalaa muhoortaah kaashthaa ahoeraatraascha | ardhamaasaa maasaa rituvah samvatsaraascha kalpataam|| [From the Purusha of the golden hue all minute fractions of Time, time taken for winking of an eye (nimesha) were born.   All classifications of Time, kalaa, muhoorta, kashta, ahoeraatra, fortnights, months, seasons, years are formed of the Nimesha. The nimeshas alone are caused by Brahman and those nimeshas yielded other divisions of time by multiplication ending in Samvatsara or Yuga.  He is therefore called Yugapurusha or Kaalapurusha (Being of Times). Brahman is therefore meditated upon as Time or Samvatsara, which is the Vyahriti or attribute of Brahman. 

Yugadi is a religious function of great spiritual significance. On this day every devout Hindu prays to Supreme Being as Akaala Purusha or Kaala Niranjana or Samvatsara who creates, sustains and dissolves the universe time after time. This in modern times Hindus have extended to Gregorian Year also and so rush to temple to celebrate its cyclic dawn on January 1.  Starting period of twelve months or 356 days in a year vary based on different traditions of Hindus—Chaandramaana, Sauramaana, Deepaavali etc.
India has accepted Gregorian New Year as the official New Year and it is a National Holiday, following other Nations of the world after Independence. It has also adopted Chandramana Yugadi in March as its Spiritual Hindu New Year. Therefore Gregorian New Year is celebrated with all pomp and show by all Indians exchanging greetings with each other while Hindus rush to temples to offer special prayers. Life of a Hindu is so integrated with religion he cannot think of celebrating anything   or any event without going to a temple.  It is therefore no surprise Hindus rush to temple on January 1, to offer special worship like Christians who hold their New Year mass in churches on that day.  It is therefore interesting to investigate origin of Gregorian New Year celebration and how it is celebrated with greater enthusiasm in Hindu American temples almost like any other Hindu festival.

New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar and adopted by all Nations of the world as their official New Year's Day though they celebrate their own religious New Year's Day independently. The   Romans originally dedicated New Year's Day to Janus, the god of gates, doors, and beginnings for whom the first month of the year (January) is named. Later, as a date in the Gregorian calendar of Christendom, New Year's Day liturgically marked the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ, and is still observed as such in the Anglican Church and Lutheran Church.  January 1 as New Year's Day is probably the world's most celebrated public holiday, often observed with fire-works at the stroke of midnight as the New Year starts in each time zone. January 1 date was known as Circumcision Style because this was the date of the Feast of the Circumcision, considered to be the eighth day of Christ's life, counting from December 25 on which day his birth is believed to have taken place.  This day was christened as the beginning of the New Year by Pope Gregory as he designed the Liturgical Calendar.  It is hence called Gregorian Calendar after him.

Hinduism with its different regional cultures celebrates New Year at different times of the year. In Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Nepal, Orissa, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, households celebrate the New Year when the Sun enters Aries on the Hindu calendar. This is normally on 14 April or 15 April, depending on the leap year. Elsewhere in northern/central India, the Vikram Samvat calendar is followed. According to that the New Year day is the first day of the Chaitra Month, also known as Chaitra Shukla Pratipada or Gudi Padwa. This basically is the first month of the Hindu calendar, the first shukla paksha (fortnight) and the first day. This normally comes around 23–24 March, mostly around the Spring Equinox in Gregorian calendar. The New Year is celebrated by paying respect to elders in the family and by seeking their blessings as well as by rushing to temples to offer special worship seeking prosperity and happiness. They also exchange tokens of good wishes for a healthy and prosperous year ahead.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Government of Tamil Nadu declared in 2008 that the Tamil New Year should be celebrated on the first day of Tamil month of Thai (14 January) coinciding with the harvest festival of Pongal.    The 2008 legislation of the previous DMK-led administration has since been annulled by an act of the Tamil Nadu Assembly in August, 2011.  January 14,   is a very significant auspicious day for all Hindus in India called Makara Sankranti.  Makara Sankranti is a major harvest festival celebrated in various parts of India. Many Indians also conflate this festival with the Winter Solstice, and believe that the sun ends its southward journey (Sanskrit: Dakshinayana) at the Tropic of Capricorn, and starts moving northward (Sanskrit: Uttarayaana) towards the Tropic of Cancer, in the month of Pausha on this day in mid-January. 

Makara Sankranti commemorates the beginning of the harvest season and cessation of the northeast monsoon in South India. The movement of the Sun from one zodiac sign into another is called Sankranti and as the Sun moves into the Capricorn zodiac known as Makara in Sanskrit, this occasion is named as Makara Sankranti in the Indian context. It is one of the few Hindu Indian festivals which is celebrated on a fixed date of Gregorian Calendar  i.e. 14 January every year (or may be sometimes on 15 January in leap year). It sounds logical to me that India could have adopted Makara Sankranti as their New Year's Day for the whole of India, agreeable to all traditions.  My reasoning is as follows: 1. It is the holiest day in Hindu concept as Bheeshma waited for this day to give up his ghost to ascend to heaven; 2. It is the only Hindu festival that coincides with Gregorian Calendar falling on 14th of January every year; 3. It is closest to January 1, the official New Year Day of all Nations of the world; 4. It would suit all traditions of Hindus. All astrologers may not agree. But I believe it had the blessings of astrologers when Tamil Nadu changed its New Year to that date!

Hindu Americans cannot question the wisdom of Government of India which has declared Chaitra Sukla Pratipada for India's official calendar and will not revise its opinion on the basis of the unilateral decision and logic of DMK Government at one time. As Hindu Americans we rush to temples on January 1 to celebrate New Year to seek the favor of Almighty for our prosperity and happiness and conduct special worship. The temples are fully packed on this day as many Hindus are traditionally sentimental. We also notice that most of the national holidays in America but for a few are celebrated as per the convenience (not based on significant or auspicious days) of the people and generally planned for the weekend to have a long week end like President's Day, Labor day etc.   Even January 1 which is   actually a Christian religious day is a convenient date to celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ after eight days of his birth. I wonder why they did not combine it with January 5 which would have been the 11th day of the birth of Jesus. In Hinduism naming of a child takes place on or after 11th day of birth. Perhaps that is why the Christmas tree and lights in America are taken out on the 11th day, the day significant for naming in ancient traditions as the child passes through early ten days of anxiety period after birth. I therefore feel there is nothing wrong in our celebrating New Year's Day on Makara Sankranti Day, after a fortnight, a day closest to January 1 and significant to Hindus instead of rushing on January 1, a day most auspicious to Christian Faith only. Our fortunes and luck will not fluctuate by this postponement date for seeking prosperity and happiness for the rest of 350 days from the almighty God since it is not any auspicious day from Hindu stand-point! The logic behind the religious significance of conducting special Pooja sponsored by temples on a day holy to Christian Faith is not understandable? Do they consider Jesus as an Avtar I can’t tell? Of course temples can be kept open for long hours on such days to facilitate visit by devotees from neighboring towns leaving the choice to them to conduct any kind of worship of their choice at individual level but not make it a significant day for Hindu religious worship sponsored by the temple.

Normally Hindus end their worship on such occasions with a concluding prayer invoking divine grace for all round happiness and universal peace:

Kaale varshatu par-jan-yaha
Prithavee sasya-saalinee
Desoyam kshobha-rahitah  
Braahmanaah  santu nirbhayaah  //

May the rains fall at the right time! May the crop-bearing land be fertile! May the country where I live, be free of famine! May the spiritual thinkers be fearless to practice their religion!

Sarve bhavantu sukhinah
Sarve santu niraa-mayah
Sarve bhadraani pasyantu
Maa kaschit dhukhinah bhavet //

May all beings be happy! May all beings be free of disease!   May people learn to see good things in  others! May none suffer!

It is worth recalling here the Christmas message of Pope Francis this year: “Let us all share   the song of Christmas angels, ‘for every man or woman….who hopes for a better world, who cares for others’ humbly. Lord of life protects all who are persecuted in his name. True peace is not a balance of opposing forces. It is not a lovely façade which conceals conflicts and divisions; peace calls for daily commitment”. This year’s Christmas message is one of love and reconciliation.

Western style greeting cards for the New Year contain the usual messages wishing happiness and prosperity. Today the world seems to be decaying, degenerating and drifting towards destruction. The earth is being plundered, heritage is being ignored and culture is being eroded, all in the name of progress. Vast destruction is caused and enormous pain inflicted on humanity by natural causes like tsunami, floods and pollution and man-created internal strife, revolts and revolution. Therefore of late   New Year Greeting Cards focus on Peace on Earth. But all such messages and beyond are contained in Hindu Universal Conclusion Prayers recited above which is focused on all beings including flora and fauna.  Vedas proclaim ‘Vasudaiva kutumbakam’ whole world is one family and therefore Hindu prayers are for the whole humanity.

REFERENCES:
1) N.S. Anantarangacharya, Mahanarayana Upanishad, Bengaluru, India.
2) Swami Vimalananda, Mahaanaaraayana Upanishad, Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, India. 
3) N.S. Anatarangacharya, Rigvedaratna Samputa, Bengaluru, DVK Murti Publishers, Mysore, India.

4) Srinivasn N.R., Memoirs of My Life from Narayanapura to Nashville  (autobiography)





APPENDIX
JANUARY 1 AS KALPATARU DIWAS
 (E-Mail sent on January 1, 2019)
 
Please refer to my yesterday's   E-mail on  Radhika's prayer that is Jivatma's yearning to be with  Paramatman to be in perennial joy. I forgot to add that January 1 is Kalpatru Day for Hindus. You know Lord Jaganntha was  worshiped as kalpataru by  sages in Tiruppullani who were engaged in penance. Only at their request he appeared as archa -murti as  Chaturbhja Vishnu. Let us therefore dedicate this day to kalpataru and call it Kalpataru Divas  as I said before in my discourses that is Spiritual Enlightenment Day, a day closest to Winter Solstice Day that is Uttarayana. The auspicious time is 3 p.m.

Observe 1st  January as the Day of Sri Ramakrishna’s Self Revelation –
Must not a meaningless New Years day to us.
~Upananda Brahmachari.
Bharat Mata, the only deity awaken to us – Swami Vivekananda.
The celebration of 1st January as a D-day (New Years Day) under Christian calendar is nothing but a sign of cultural slavery. The Christians through its English and Portuguese regime over 200 years put havoc upon our religion, culture, economy, self-respect and society as a whole. But still we celebrate 1st January in a very un-meaningful way which gives us only cultural pollution. Nothing more than that. But it can be observed in the way celebrating Kalpataru Diwas, which has a greater and un-doubtful significance upon us
Kalpataru Day also called Kalpataru Diwas or Kalpataru Utsav is an annual religious festival observed by monks of the Ramakrishna Math monastic order of Hinduism and lay followers of the associated Ramakrishna Mission, as well as the worldwide Vedanta Societies. These organizations follow the teachings of Ramakrishna, the 19th century Indian mystic and figure in the Hindu Renaissance.
The event commemorates the day on January 1, 1886 when his followers believe that Ramakrishna revealed himself to be an Avatar, or God incarnate on earth in the Cossipur Uddyan Vati where Bhagavan Ramakrishna was sheltered for a peaceful and better arrangements in His last phase of the treatment of his throat cancer. On this very day a unique miracle was happened in front of some of His fortunate disciples for the ultimate affirmation of His Good-hood.
One disciple, Ramachandra Dutta, explained that Ramakrishna had, in effect become Kalpataru (also called Kalpavriksha), the “wish-fulfilling tree” of Sanskrit literature and Hindu mythology. Dutta named the commemoration of this mystical event “Kalpataru Day” as a result. This event “carried meanings and memories of cosmic import for the disciples” and also prepared them for Ramakrishna’s death”, which occurred only a few months later, on August 16, 1886.
JANUARY 1st: THE DAY OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA’S SELF-REVELATION.
“‘I shall make the whole thing public before I go,’ the Master has said some time before. On January 1, 1886, he felt better and came down to the garden for a little stroll. It was about three o’clock in the afternoon. Some thirty lay disciples were in the hall or sitting about under the trees. Sri Ramakrishna said to Girish (Ghosh), ‘Well Girish, what have you seen in me, that you proclaim me before everybody as an Incarnation of God?’ Girish was not the man to be taken by surprise. He knelt before the Master and said with folded hands, ‘What can an insignificant person like myself say about the One whose glory even sages like Vyasa and Valmiki could not adequately measure?’ The Master was profoundly moved. He said: ‘What more shall I say? I bless you all. Be illumined!’* He fell into a spiritual mood. Hearing these words the devotees, one and all, became overwhelmed with emotion. They rushed to him and fell at his feet. He touched them all, and each received an appropriate benediction. Each of them, at the touch of the Master, experienced ineffable bliss. Some laughed, some wept, some sat down to meditate, some began to pray. Some saw light, some had visions of their Chosen Ideals, and some felt within their bodies the rush of spiritual power.”
[*Tomader ki ar boli ? Ami tomader sakalke ashirvad kori. Tomader sakaler Chaitanya hok !]
From the Introduction to THE GOSPEL OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA,
by Swami Nikhilananda
“Those words of profound blessing, untouched by the slightest tinge of selfishness, directly entered the devotees’ hearts where they raised high billows of bliss. They forgot time and space, forgot the disease of the Master and forgot their previous determination not to touch him till he recovered, and had the immediate feeling that sympathizing with their misery, and heart overflowing with compassion, had come down to them from heaven and called them affectionately to Him for protection, like a mother sheltering her children against all ills.”
From SRI RAMAKRISHNA, THE GREAT MASTER
by Swami Saradananda
Devotees assembled on Kalpataru Diwas (GarbhaMandir Photographs)@Cossipore Uddan Bati on 01-01-2012
Actually Swami Vivekananda believed that Bhagabvan Ramakrishna Parmhansh came to this world to save Hindu Dharma, when Hindus had already faced drastically an ethnic cleansing from 60 crore to a meager figure of 20 crore by the onslaught of barbaric Islam from the beginning of Islamic invasion in India and 2 crore of Hindus were converted to Christianity as accounted by Swamiji at the time of writing the Constitution of Belur Sri Ramakrishna Math in 1897.
Swami Vivekananda actually founded Ramakrishna Math and Mission with a missionary zeal to protect Hindu Society through freedom and revolution. Swamiji wanted to convert Muslims and Christians as patriot and the followers of Bharat Samskriti (Culture). He wanted a Social Change on the basis of Bharatiya concept of emancipation. Swamiji perfectly believed that Bhagaban Ramakrishna was incarnated as a savior of Hindu people from the onslaught of Islamic barbarism and Christian Conspiracy of Conversion. Obviously, Bhagaban Ramakrishna was his Master in all respect. And hence, we should observe 1st January as Kalpataru Day to protect our Dharma and Samskriti and must not celebrate 1st January as our Happy New Year !!

 

Saturday, December 28, 2013

HINDU REFLECTIONS ON CHRISTMAS TREE AND LIGHTING

 HINDU REFLECTIONS ON CHRISTMAS TREE AND LIGHTING
(DISCOURSE BY N. R. SRINIVASAN, NASHVILLE, TN, DECEMBER 2013)

Christmas was originally the pagan celebration of the winter solstice; a celebration to brighten spirits in the dead of winter and celebrate the coming of spring. Pine tree branches were originally hung around the house representing the green of the leaves in anticipation of the coming spring and homes were decorated with sprigs of holly to brighten up the grey winter months for the celebration.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, "The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands to symbolize eternal life was a custom of the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews.  Tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans and survived their conversion to Christianity in the Scandinavian customs of decorating the house and barn with evergreens at the New Year to scare away the devil and of setting up a tree for the birds during Christmastime”. Aswattha Tree is considered to be having its roots in heaven and is worshiped in Hindu traditions.  Banana plants are used in all festivals and celebrations like wedding and Upanayana for decorating the place of celebration as a symbol of good omen. The goddess, represented by the Tulsi plant, is wedded to the Lord, on the eleventh day of waxing moon on the Hindu month of Kaartika, who is represented either by an idol or a Salagrama stone or cane of sugar.  Palika Ritual during Hindu wedding worshiping green sprouts is to worship mother earth seeking fertility and Peace on Earth.

The Christmas tree was traditionally decorated with edibles such as apples, nuts, dates, pretzel and paper flower. In the 18th century, it began to be illuminated by candles, which with electrification made it possible to be replaced by Christmas lights. Today, there are a wide variety of traditional ornaments, such as garland, tinsel, and candy canes. An angel or star is also placed at the top of the tree to represent the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity. During Gokulaashtami celebrations Pinna Maram  (a favorite tree   under which   Lord Krishna rested  while grazing cattle is worshiped; this is Alexandria Laurel Dili oil tree. It is the sacred plant found in front of Santana Venugopalaswamy Temple in Poondi. This tree or its branches are brought and worshiped as in Christmas as a part of celebration of Krishna’s birthday in Tamil Nadu. Paarijaata (Ad Ansonia digitations) tree with its fragrant flowers is also a favorite tree of Lord Krishna and is considered sacred. Hindu Americans, Americanize their name of Krishna to Kris often to sound like Christ (sign of cross cultures)! Both are known for their teachings! It is also customary to hang fruits, vegetables and snacks from a square frame above Lord Krishna’s icon for worship during Janmaashtami. I enjoyed Gokulashtami decoration in my own home which was similar to Christmas tree decoration (I did not know about Christmas tree then) when I was young eagerly waiting for 32 varieties of snacks after daylong fast and late night worship!  Perhaps this tradition is much older to the European tradition.
The custom of the Christmas tree developed in early modern Germany with predecessors   can be traced to the 16th and possibly the 15th century, in which "devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes".   Its 16th-century origins are sometimes associated with Protestant Christian reformer Martin Luther who, according to the TV channel History, "first added lighted candles to a tree." It is frequently traced to the symbolism of evergreen trees in pre-Christian winter rites, in particular through the story of Donor's Oak (though the oak tree is obviously not an evergreen) and the popularized story of Saint Boniface and the following conversion of the German pagans. Alternatively, it is identified with the "tree of paradise" of medieval mystery plays that were presented on 24 December, the commemoration and names day of Adam and Eve in various countries. In such plays, a tree decorated with apples (to represent the forbidden fruit) and wafers (to represent the Eucharist and redemption) was used as a setting for the play. Like the Christmas crib, the Paradise tree was later placed in homes. The apples were replaced by round objects such as shiny red balls. Customs of erecting decorated trees in wintertime can be traced to Christmas celebrations in Renaissance-era guilds in Northern Germany and Livonia.  In the 12th century the Parisian monk Adam of St. Victor began to derive music from popular songs, introducing something closer to the traditional Christmas carol.

By the early 18th century, the custom had become common in towns of the upper Rhineland, but it had not yet spread to rural areas. Wax candles, expensive items at the time, are found in attestations from the late 18th century. Along the lower Rhine, an area of Roman Catholic majority, the Christmas tree was largely regarded as a Protestant custom. As a result, it remained confined to the upper Rhineland for a relatively long period of time. The custom did eventually gain wider acceptance, beginning around 1815, by way of Prussian officials who emigrated there following the Congress of Vienna. In the 19th century, the Christmas tree was taken to be an expression of German culture and of Gemütlichkeit, especially among emigrants overseas.   A decisive factor in winning general popularity was the German army's decision to place Christmas trees in its barracks and military hospitals during the Franco-Prussian War. Only at the start of the 20th century did Christmas trees appear inside churches, this time in a new brightly lit form. In the early 19th century, the custom became popular among the nobility and spread to royal courts as far as Russia. Princess Henrietta of Nassau-Weinberg introduced the Christmas tree to Vienna in 1816, and the custom spread across Austria in the following years. In France, the first Christmas tree was introduced in 1840 by the Duchesse D' Orleans. In Denmark a Danish newspaper claims that the first attested Christmas tree was lit in 1808 by countess Wilhelmina of Holstein.

In 1882, the first Christmas tree was lit by the use of electricity in USA. Edward Johnson lighted up a Christmas tree in New York City with eighty small electric light bulbs. It should be noted that Edward Johnson created the first string of electric Christmas lights that were then mass produced around 1890. By 1900, department stores started using the new Christmas lights for their Christmas displays.  Deepaavali, Kartigai and Christmas are the season for LED lights today. This year The Tennessee State Christmas tree is adorned with 3000 LEDs, the Rockefeller Plaza tree has 45,000 and the landscapes at Gaylord Opryland Resort Center in Nashville feature 2 million LED’s providing brilliant light for all to enjoy. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are 80% more efficient than usual Christmas lights, economical during their life even with the higher initial bulb cost. They provide similar quality and appearance, function well in the cold, emit 40 % less heat and last up to 25 times longer than traditional bulb. The light-emitting diode or LED has been around for more than 50 years, but it took the recent development of white LEDs to bring the technology back into the public eye for daily and festival lighting. They are ideal for festival lighting. These are ideal and safer for Kolu steps lighting during Navaratri Celebrations, Deepaavali and Kartigai Deepam lighting of homes.
The main colors of Christmas are red, green and gold, white and silver. Red is the color of love and energy. In Christian tradition, this color symbolizes the blood of Jesus which was shed for all humans that they might be saved. (John 19:34). Red is the color of fire inducing feelings of warmth and visions of roaring fires, red berries and Santa Claus. People who are drawn to the color red are likely to be outgoing, cheerful and impulsive. However too much red could promote anger, over-excitement and intense emotions so it is always good, when using red even as a predominant Christmas color scheme, to offset it with other, less fiery Christmas colors. In Christian tradition green symbolizes eternal life in Christ (John 3:16-17). Green is the color of holly and mistletoe, the Christmas fir tree and a symbol, at Christmas time, of nature. Decorating homes with green foliage, cheers up the dark winter barren tree sad look days with the symbol of hope for new beginning. You feel hope within. Green is a relaxing color; the color of nature and fertility. People who choose green as their favorite color are thought to be well balanced, conventional and conservative. Adding green to the Christmas color scheme will bring harmony into the home. When red and green are combined, it is said to express the hope for redemption through the sacrifices of Christ. The color gold symbolizes wealth. It is also a symbol of good health. In Christian tradition gold symbolizes Christ the Divine (Revelations 3:18) of Kingdom of God. Gold is always identified with royalty.  People whose favorite color is gold are generally optimistic. Gold is the first color associated with Christmas, as one of the three gifts of the Magi, symbolizing royalty.  Hindu deities are bedecked with Gold jewelry and devotees regularly donate such jewelry to fulfill  their vows seeking favor from their   chosen deity.

Even American born Hindu Children believe Santa Claus coming at night to deliver toys and fill stockings. Nicholas was born in Patrai, now known as southern part of Turkey. Nicholas’ devout Christian parents died when Nicholas was a young man.  Nicholas threw gold coins into the windows of poor young girls to provide a dowry. He dedicated his life serving God and became a Bishop of Myra as young man. Nicholas used his entire inheritance to serve the needy and became known throughout the land for his generosity and love for children. He died in 343 AD on December6. This date is now celebrated as St. Nicholas Day in many countries.  Martin Luther   replaced this bearer of gifts with the Christ child, Christ-kind in German language. Over the years that came to be pronounced as Kris Cringle. The dates celebrating the birth of Christ and the gift of giving of St. Nicholas got combined into one holiday. Kris Cringle got converted to Christmas holiday that is widely celebrated.  There are numerous holy men celebrated like Santa Claus in Hindu religion—Bali, Sibi, Karna, Mandhaata etc., whose Birthdays are not particularly  celebrated like Nicholas  Day but always remembered and often quoted.  To Hindus god alone is Santa Claus in his various Incarnations. Lord Krishna was a Santa Claus to poverty stricken Kuchela. God knows what we need and what we deserve. He is our Santa Claus to meet our needs and desires if we leave the choice to him without being avaricious to demand sky.
In Hindu Tradition gold signifies richness and prosperity. Goddess Lakshmi, goddess of wealth is glorified as suvarnarsjatasrajaam, shining bright with golden radiance. There are special religious days earmarked for the purchase of gold, particularly Dhan-teras festival, which comes during the period   of Festival of Lights season in American culture. At Christmas gold can be seen everywhere: in tinsel, candles, Christmas stars, angels and twinkling lights. Adding gold to the Christmas color scheme will promote courage, confidence and willpower and preserve the health of those living in the home.

Silver, like gold, symbolizes richness. Silver is a symbol of strength and can also be related to the moon and feminine energy. In Christian tradition, silver is used in a figurative way to represent God's words. Silver also symbolizes Redemption in Christ (Matthew 27:3-9). Every cloud has a silver lining is a famous quote. This color represents clarity, vision and brightness. Adding silver to the Christmas color scheme will help enhance patience and perseverance within the family. Like the moon, silver has a calming and soothing effect. Silver is named after moon in Hindi (chaandi). Moon is symbolized as cool and romantic in Hinduism.  Lord Sivas’s one eye is cool and represents moon. The other eye is Sun representing fierce nature. Silver vessels are used in Temple worship liberally in Hindu Tradition along with copper.

Snowflakes, winter wonderlands, Santa's beard, the white robes of Christmas angel are all white. White is a color of purity and cleanliness; a symbol of rebirth. In Christian tradition, white represents the coming of the light of Christ into the world. White helps and enhances the brightness of the greens and reds, bringing a more balanced feel to the Christmas color scheme.

In Hinduism red represents Rajo--guna (characteristic) or action which in excess may lead to ego. White on the other hand represents Sattva-guna nobility and divinity in man. Human beings are born essentially with Rajo-guna which they should overcome with Sattva-guna focusing their thoughts on liberation. So, white light should dominate the red. This is what we find in the Christmas lighting scheme. White dominates other colors exhibiting more divinity. Brahma the creator represents Rajo-guna and is red. He is the balance between white represented by Sattva-guna of Vishnu (centripetal force) the preserver and Siva, dark the destroyer representing Tamo-guna (centrifugal force).

Of late blue lights are also becoming popular.  Hindu Americans love blue. It is the color of Lord Vishnu particularly in his incarnation as Lord Krishna. Vishnu is Hinduism’s blue-skinned savior. Lord Vishnu stands out from Hinduism’s other gods; he is calm and cool, and maintains balance in his own behavior just as he maintains balance in the cosmos. Blue, the color of the sky, is symbolic of heaven. It may also be used to symbolize truth. Blue is gaining acceptance as a liturgical color for Advent. Red has different meanings in different cultures. Its meaning can range from health, anger, bravery, love, passion, ego, sacrifice, danger, and courage. But its Christmas meaning is the blood of Christ.  Hindun married ladies and girls wear red Bindi (dot) on their forehead as symbol of auspiciousness and prosperity. Durga, Goddess Invincible is also represented by red in Hinduism with her protruding red tongue. Vermillion red powder is sacred and worn by Hindus on their forehead to rise to spiritual heights. Hindu goddesses are worshiped with red Kumkum or vermilion powder. Like red, green also has different cultural meanings. It can represent fertility, hope, and environmentalism on the positive side.  However, it also has negative connotation such as poison, evil, envy and even death.   During Christmas, green is the symbol of birth and life that remains vibrant even under harsh conditions.  In Hindu iconography Lord Siva is shown as having green or blue neck as he devoured poison Haalahala to save the divines according to Puranas. In Paalika ritual during wedding ceremony green sprouts are worshiped symbolically as Goddess of FertilityText Box: .. Thus it is viewed both in its positive and negative significance in Hinduism also.  
Gold like red and green also has both positive and negative cultural meanings. Gold or its base color yellow can mean bravery or cowardice. It can also mean life and sickness. However, its Christmas meaning is that of the richness of eternal life.  Yellow (Haldi or turmeric) is a sacred color in Hinduism. Gold is called yellow metal.
Green is the color of plant life, abundant in spring. It is used to represent the triumph of life over death. Green is the liturgical color for the Trinity season in some traditions, and may be used during Epiphany in others. Red is the color of blood and therefore is the liturgical color for the commemoration of martyred saints. Red is used as the liturgical color for Pentecost, since it is the color of fire.

White is a symbol of purity, innocence and holiness. It is the liturgical color for the Christmas and Easter seasons. White is sometimes represented by silver. White is not a color but consists of seven colors to create the illusion of perfect whiteness and so represents divinity.  Visible white light is worshipped as orb of Narayana who is the invisible Supreme Being. Yellow lights may be used to represent divinity. However, because yellow light is not pure white, it may also be used to symbolize corruption and degradation.  Hindu deities are clad in yellow robes which is a sacred color.
The Christmas tree is considered by some as Christianization of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship. According to eighth-century biographer Æddi Stephanus, Saint Boniface (634–709), who was a missionary in Germany, took an axe to an oak tree dedicated to Thor and pointed out a fir tree, which he stated was a more fitting object of reverence because it pointed to heaven and it had a triangular shape, which he said was symbolic of the Trinity.  Boniface began to cut fir branches off of nearby trees and told the families to take them home in remembrance of the complete work of Christ so many centuries before. From the fir branches cut on that cold winter spring the traditions of Christmas tree, advent wreath, and Yule log. Saint Boniface stopped the cruel act of Human sacrifice to the Oak tree shrine by persuasion and convincing that Jesus has sacrificed on behalf of all and there was no need for yet another human sacrifice.
In the book Christmas Spirit, George Grant and Greg Wilbur identify the roots of several traditions of the season. The season of Advent is carried over the four Sundays preceding Christmas.  The wreath holds four candles which are lit one by one each Sunday.  This is the origin of start of Christmas lighting a month before and continued till the 5th of January. There is no reference to the Christmas tree in the   Holy Bible anywhere.
The English language phrase "Christmas tree" is first recorded in 1835 and represents an importation from the German language.  On Christmas Day, the Christ Candle in the center of the Advent wreath is traditionally lit in many church services. From Germany the custom was introduced to Britain, first via Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, and then more successfully by Prince Albert during the reign of Queen Victoria. By 1841 the Christmas tree had become even more widespread throughout Britain.   By the 1870s, people in the United States had adopted the custom of putting up a Christmas tree.  Christmas trees decorated with lights and ornaments gradually developed and highly commercialized.
Since the 19th century, the poinsettia, a native plant from Mexico, has been associated with Christmas. Other popular holiday plants include holly, mistletoe, red amaryllis, and Christmas cactus. Along with a Christmas tree, the interior of a home is also decorated with these plants, along with garlands and evergreen foliage. The display of Christmas villages has also become a tradition in many homes during this season. The outside of houses may be decorated with lights and sometimes with illuminated sleighs, snowmen, and other Christmas figures. Other traditional decorations include bells, candles, candy canes, stockings, wreaths, and angels. Both the displaying of wreaths and candles in each window are a more traditional Christmas display. The concentric assortment of leaves usually form an evergreen make up Christmas wreaths and are designed to prepare Christians for the Advent season. Candles in each window are meant to demonstrate the fact that Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the ultimate light of the world.  In Deepavlai and Kartigai festivals of Hindus rows of oil wick lamps are placed all around the house, the front dominating. Brahman is considered as Light of all lights in the Upanishads. Everything else shines because of Brahman.

In the forests of Europe, mistletoe blooms when all else has succumbed to the harshness of winter. So, over time, the small berries became symbol of hope and life to men of the middle ages. Over the centuries sprigs were brought into the homes of Christians and hung on doors as a reminder of the Hope of Christ in this dark world.  Throughout the Celtic lands of Brittany, Scotland, and Ireland, Holly and Ivy were symbols of victory won. Holly, representing masculine triumph and Ivy representing feminine triumph were often woven together as a sign that men and women need one another. Homes were decorated during Advent with both—often woven together—as a picture of healthy family under God’s gracious providential hand.

Christmas lights and banners are hung along streets, music played from speakers, and Christmas trees placed in prominent places.  It is common in many parts of the world for town squares and consumer shopping areas to sponsor and display decorations. Rolls of brightly colored paper with secular or religious Christmas motifs are manufactured for the purpose of wrapping gifts. In some countries, Christmas decorations are traditionally taken down on Twelfth Night, the evening of January   Fifth. USA which has a Christian majority also follows this tradition though it often says it is secular. Its motto is “In God We Trust” and that God was Jesus when this motto was adopted for the Nation. India has its motto as “Satyameva Jayate” where Satya means Truth and that is Brahman, the Supreme Being. Since Vedas declare “Eko Viprah bahudaa vadanti”, The One the learned call by many names, it can find favor with all religions and also pleases various religious pursuits in a secular State.
Veneration of trees and light might have sprung from Hindu Tradition.  Its famous Gaayatree Mantra worshiping Supreme Being as Sun and Fire, the visible form of Light is as old as the Universe itself.  As seen above the Christmas Trees and Christmas Lights are of recent origin. There is no Biblical reference to these traditions as far as my knowledge goes. Therefore the inspiration in mid-centuries should have come from others sources like Hanukkah, Pagan traditions which again should have drawn their inspiration from Sanatana Dharma; similarly, many other traditions that celebrate Festival of Lights.  Hindu festivals of lights Deepaavali, Karthigai and Makra Vilakku of Makara Sankranti culminating in Jyotir Linga on Sivaratri Night which I have detailed in my discourse “Festivals of Lights in Ancient Traditions of Universal Appeal” have many references in Hindu Scriptures unlike Christmas Lighting and Tree decoration during Christmas celebrating Birth of Christ. When Bible was revealed to the world there was no Christian Religion. It gradually developed and named after Jesus Christ for he did not start any new religion, his followers did. 
From ancient times Hindus have worshiped plants and trees and regarded all flora and fauna as sacred.  While modern man often works to exploit Mother Nature, followers of Sanatana Dharma in ancient days worshiped her long before they were called and identified as Hindus by foreign invaders.  The Lord, the life in us, pervades all living beings, be they are plants or animals. Human life on earth depends on plants and trees. They are the vital factors that make life possible on earth: food, oxygen, clothing, shelter, medicines etc. They lend beauty to our surroundings. They serve man without expectation and sacrifice themselves to sustain us. They epitomize sacrifice. If a stone is thrown on a fruit-laden tree, the tree in turn gives fruit—cruelty is answered with kindness. This is also the message of Christ to his followers.
In fact, the flora and fauna owned the earth as God created the world before man appeared on it. This is true for all religions. You have the story of Adam and Eve and the Apple Tree. Presently the world is seriously threatened by the destruction of forest lands and the extinction of variety of vegetation due to callous attitude of humans towards them. Hence Hinduism teaches plants and trees should be worshipped as sacred. This will induce them to take care and protect nature while enjoying benefits derived. Hinduism worships certain plants like Tulasi and Peepal etc., which have tremendous beneficial qualities even today which are included in their daily worship. It is believed that divine beings manifest as trees and plants, and many people worship them to fulfill their desires or to please the Lords.

In almost every Hindu home a lamp is daily lit before the altar of the Lord. In some houses it is lit at dawn, in some twice a day—at dawn and dusk—and in a few it is maintained continuously. All auspicious functions like daily worship, rituals and festivals and even many social functions like inauguration of a conference, festival, celebration etc., commence with the lighting of the lamp, which is often maintained throughout the ritual or occasion.   When somebody dies  an  oil wick lamp is kept burning for 24 hours daily for ten days symbolically at the place of death  for the unsettled soul still waiting for obsequies to be completed in the ten days rites for the departed soul. The light here represents departing soul on its journey upwards. A wick always looks upwards.  When all these traditions started nobody knows; it is as old as Hinduism itself. The celebration of Hindu Festival of Lights, Deepavali including Naraka Chaturdasi, bonfire during Bhogi and worship of column of fire as Jyotirlinga on Mahaa Sivaratri   dates back to several thousand years before the birth of Christ. Vedic people kept permanently sacrificial fire at homes all the times and worshiped them daily. Vedas glorify the Vedic sacrifice fire as having seven tongues of different color in which red dominates. Even today in all Hindu Temples a permanent oil-wick lamp is kept burning perennially called Nanda deepam—a lamp that never gets extinguished from which light is borrowed to light all others.   Thus the sacred fire is associated with red color flame.
Hindus generally do not use electric lights in celebration of their festivals. Hindus use the traditional oil wick mud dish lamps. The oil in the lamp symbolizes negative tendencies and the wick ego. When lit by spiritual knowledge these negative tendencies slowly get exhausted and the ego too finally perishes.

Knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes darkness. Also knowledge is a lasting inner wealth by which all outer achievements can be accomplished. Hence Hindus light the lamp to bow down to knowledge as the greatest of all wealth. A single lamp can light hundreds of other lamps just as a man of knowledge can give that knowledge to many. The brilliance of light does not diminish despite repeated use to light many more lamps. So too knowledge does not diminish when shared with or imparted to others. While lighting the lamp Hindus offer the following prayer: “I prostrate to the dawn/dusk lamp, whose light is the Knowledge Principle (the Supreme Lord), which removes the darkness of ignorance and by which all can be achieved in life”--(Deepam jyoti Parbrahma).
Even in Christianity natural colored lanterns were used and later colored candles for illumination before the invention of safety electric Christmas lights. It is customary to place carved pumpkins with candle light inside to give the feeling of sacred yellow lamp to welcome the departed souls and to feed them during Samhain Eve.

Hindu Americans join the Western culture in decorating the houses with Christmas trees and lightings and join the major culture in social celebrations. But their spiritual thoughts are entirely different. To them red color represents the sacred fire and sacred Vermillion powder with which Goddess is worshipped. To Christian Americans red represents the blood of Jesus reminding him of the great sacrifice he made. To Hindu Americans as well as Christians white light represents purity. In addition Christians remember the words of Jesus Christ when he offered white bread as his own flesh. To Hindus white represents Sattva-guna whose custodian is Vishnu. To American Hindus green is symbolic of nature and mother earth. Vishnu is always seen with his two consorts Mother (green) Earth and Golden Hue Lakshmi. Green and gold are symbols of fertility and prosperity. Green sprouts are symbol of fertility used in ritualistic worship by Hindus. To Christians green is a rejuvenating color restoring hope and confidence during gloomy winter months. Gold reminds them of richness of eternal life.  Blue is divine both in the concept of Hindus and Christians. Madonna and Mary are clothed in blue. To Native Americans blue color symbolizes intuition to serve and teach.  To Hindus blue is the Divine color of Vishnu showing vastness like the blue crystal clear skies and his endless care of this Universe to keep the rhythm and orderliness. Light is often identified with the Supreme Being by Hindus. This is the same blazing Golden light and heat that Moses saw and felt in the Wilderness waiting to receive the Ten Commandments.  It is no wonder Hindu Americans keep their temple open all day long on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day by divine motivation to blend with the culture but sticking to their tradition. Abhishekam to Siva as Jyotirlinga is not uncommon in some Hindu temples. In some Hindu traditions   Kartigai lights linger on twinkling around. In orthodox South  Indian  Hindu Tradition the row of lights that were lit during Deepavali continue till the Kartigai Deepam further extended by two days. During Christmas holidays churches sing the glory of God seeking the Heavenly Light for their guidance.  It needs no special mention here to say how important light is to Jewish Community and how they venerate the candle for seven days during Hanukah merging with Festivals of Lights  Season like Deepaavali, Karthigai and Christmas.  Light is worshiped and venerated in many traditions of the world. For details please go through my earlier discourse: Festivals of lights—Ancient in Tradition; Universal in Appeal.
I may like to bring my own personal observation here while enjoying the Christmas tree decoration and Lighting along with all Christians living in my neighborhood. I feel sad when I see my immediate neighbor’s house so dark and gloomy during this festival season. My neighbors belong to the faith of Islam.  Red, green, white and silver colored lights are equally sacred to them though they moved away from their Arabic origin brethren Jews and Christians to establish their authoritative and aggressive religion.   Probably my neighbor is a confused but devoted Muslim American.   The crescent was not a symbol used for Islam by Muhammad, as Islam is against appointing "holy symbols “. That is why they are up against Hinduism and do not want to understand anything and think that Hindus are idolatrous and are not obeying the ruling of Muhammad and Qur’an.   During the early centuries of Islam, Muslim authorities simply did not want any geometric symbols to be used to symbolize Islam, in the way that the cross symbolizes Christianity, the Star of David a commonly occurring symbol of Judaism and Jews, etc. This is why early Islamic coins were covered with Arabic writing, but contained no other visual symbols. But history tells otherwise. Probably the Qur’an thoughts haunt my neighbor!

The color green has a special place in Islam. It is used in the decoration of mosques, the bindings of Qur'ans, the silken covers for the graves of Sufi saints, and in the flags of various Muslim countries. Green has been associated with Islam for many centuries. The color green was the color used by Muhammad’s tribe on their flags. According to Muslims the color green symbolizes nature and life. In the Qur'an (Surah 76:21), it is said that the inhabitants of paradise will wear green garments of fine silk. The color green has been considered especially Islamic for centuries. Crusaders avoided using any green in their coats of arms, so that they could not possibly be mistaken for their Muslim opponents in the heat of battle. The crescent (White) symbol cite verses in the Quran as their basis.[Quran 2:189] Many Islamic nations and charities use the crescent symbol on their flags or logos e.g. Pakistan.    Muslims wait eagerly for the holy appearance of crescent moon for breaking their fast.

Muhammad Ali, who became Pasha of Egypt in 1805, introduced the first national flag of Egypt, red with three white crescents, each accompanied by a white star. This flag, in turn, influenced the design of the first flag of independent Egypt, which was green with a white crescent and three white stars to symbolize the peaceful co-existence of Muslims, Christians and Jews. During the past two centuries the crescent and star has featured on the flags of other Muslim countries. When the rule of the Ottoman Empire ended, Turkey was the only Muslim state regarded as a world power at the time. Its flag was known from West Africa to the Far East, and helped to popularize the crescent and star among the Muslim populations of many countries of Asia and Africa.

The Id-ul-Azha (Bakrid) festival commemorates the ordeal of Prophet Ibrahim, who was commanded at his ripe old age by Allah to sacrifice his only son Ismail, who was dearest to him. Prophet Ibrahim decided to sacrifice the life of his son Ismail in deference to the wishes of Allah. He called Ismail and mentioned to him about his decision. Ismail dutifully agreed to be sacrificed to please Allah. Prophet Ibrahim then blindfolded Ismail and cut off his son's head, only to discover on opening his eyes that his son was alive and a ram had been sacrificed instead. After the sacrifice, when he took off the cloth from his eyes he was overwhelmed to find that his son was hale and hearty standing before him, and at the altar there was a sheep instead. Since then this day is commemorated to honor this act of sacrifice and teach the followers how important it is to sacrifice something that we consider dear so that we are able to tread the path of detachment and only allegiance to God. Red is as sacred to Muslims as is to Christians. Both symbolize sacrificial blood. Muslims fought under green and gold banners to convert people from   other religions. While I was staying in Madras I used to watch the sacrificial sight of Bakrid procession in which devout Male Muslims marched singing Qur’an and beating their chests with iron chains to the point of bleeding. Hindus have similar practice of torturing the body parts by piercing and   bleeding or walking over fire to show their spirit of sacrifice.  Bakrid this year was celebrated in mid-October just prior to Deepaavali and the Festival Season of Lights in America.

Ramadan over several centuries has gradually shifted to what it is today based on the Muslim Calendar. In Egypt lanterns are known to be symbol of Ramadan. They are hung across the cities of Egypt, part of an 800 year old tradition. Lanterns are used to decorate houses and mosques. In Muslim countries lights are strung up in public squares and across city streets to add to the festivities of the month. In Western countries many Muslim households have taken to decorating the inside of their homes to make it look like Festival of Lights but do not wish to decorate outside of their house.  
I therefore do not understand why our nice and courteous neighbors would not join all of us to enjoy the Festival of Lights Season with all others but focus their thoughts on their own thinking but not based on facts as evidenced by the History of Islam since the mid-centuries.  Often many extremists of Islam   turn the thoughts of sacrifice of Islam to that of brutal killing due to ignorance of the spirit of Qu’ran.

One may wonder how green and gold the two opposites, one dark the other bright could be enjoyed together in the Festival of lights? Hindu philosophy is no stranger for such pairs of opposites. Ganesha their popular deity is both the king of obstacles and also remover of all obstacles.  It may not be out of place to quote here recent scientific study in Australia which intimately brings green plant life with gold mining.

Popular is the Tamil saying, which our elders in Tamil Nadu say when we waste money - "Panam enna maratthileya kaaykkiradu?" - Does money grow in the tree? After reading the    following scientific news the proverb seems to be based on well-founded scientific discovery:

Scientists from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) have discovered that eucalyptus trees in the Australian outback are drawing up gold particles from deep underground through their root system and depositing the precious metal in their leaves and branches.  Rather than being a new source of 'gold leaf' the discovery could provide a cheaper, more environmentally friendly way to uncover valuable gold ore deposits. Using the science organization's Maia detector for x-ray elemental imaging at the Australian Synchrotron, the researchers were able to produce images that clearly showed deposits of gold and other metals in the structure of Eucalyptus leaves from the Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia that would have been untraceable using other methods.  "The eucalyptus acts as a hydraulic pump - its roots extend tens of meters into the ground and draw up water containing the gold.  As the gold is likely to be toxic to the plant, it's moved to the leaves and branches where it can be released or shed to the ground," says CSIRO geochemist Dr. Mel Lintern. Because the leaf-bound 'nuggets' are only about one-fifth the diameter of a human hair, prospectors aren't going to turn a profit by collecting leaf litter.  Dr. Lintern said that it would take the gold from 500 big eucalyptus trees growing directly over a gold deposit to produce a gold wedding ring.  However, because eucalyptus trees are so common across Australia, the discovery could provide mining companies with a cheaper and less environmentally damaging exploration approach than drilling.  The CSIRO team has published details of their discovery in the journal Nature Communications: http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2013/131022/ncomms3614/full/ncomms3614.htm
I would like to recall my own experiment with Eucalyptus trees while designing polluted waste-water treatment and disposal without endangering the surroundings in 1977. I designed huge waste-water treatment tanks with bottom not cemented and exposed to natural soil. We planted thick grove of eucalyptus plantation around the treatment plant. Eucalyptus sucked most of the waste water and also with the help of solar evaporation we could minimize the quantity of waste water and treat it to industrial standards and pump it to Esparto grass for cattle feed. The grass was of edible standard for the cattle.  Eucalyptus is a terrible sucker of water and is also immune to poisonous chemicals based on   our experience. We had hundred acres of land of which only 30 acres were needed for the plant.  
Christmas tree and Lighting starts immediately after Thanksgiving Holiday and these decorations are removed on or after 5th of January. Hindu religious Festivals of Lights starts with Deepaavali and ends with Holi with a bonfire when the winter season ends.  Will it not be a good idea for Hindu Americans to start the lighting decorations a day prior to Deepaavali and end a day after Holi or at least the day after Makara Sankranti ( 14th or15Th of January) when Uttaaraayana starts? The lights thus will keep vigil during dark winter months of Dakshinaayana. Christmas festival season falls in between. Thus as Hindu Americans we will be religiously celebrating all our festivals with lights starting with  Deepaavali (with  crackers in addition) and also socially joining with Christian American culture to enjoy the Holidays Season in a spirit of cooperation and act of participation. The idea of bursting crackers with loud noise is to send our message and prayers upwards with sound and light. Christmas Lighting also starts immediately after Thanksgiving (lasting for 40 days) and closes after January 5 only every year. Why not we revive our old tradition of month long lighting and extend it as per convenience following the practice of Christmas Lighting?


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This discourse has been prepared drawing considerable help from various internet sources, “Why do we…” a  publication of Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, Mumbai, India, my several discourses on Hindu Festivals and Rituals published on the Blog <nrsrini.blogspot.com> , the discourse “Festivals of Lights—Ancient in Tradition; Universal in Appeal” and Christmas Quest, Nashville Christian Family Journal, December 2013.”