Why there is not just a single reason for celebrating Diwali (Illustration by Devdutt)

The lamps of Diwali are lit for the living and the dead at once. Is it about Ram returning home to Ayodhya? Is it about Krishna killing Narakasura or raising Govardhana? Is it about Lakshmi being churned out of the ocean of milk? Is it about ghosts and ancestors returning to the land of the dead? It can be all of these, depending on which part of India you come from. Contrary to popular understanding, there is no one reason for celebrating the festival of lights.

In Maharashtra and Goa, the day before Diwali belongs to Krishna and the death of Narakasura. Men are oiled and bathed before dawn, then they crush a small bitter fruit, the karit, under the heel, as if crushing the demon. Goa builds giant Narakasura effigies and burns them in the dark. In the Telugu country, it is Satyabhama who kills the demon while Krishna holds the reins. The day before, Diwali is about metal wealth (Dhan-teras).…