What Is Diwali?
Diwali, or Dipawali, is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated every year in autumn, and is India's biggest + most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light, protecting from spiritual darkness.
Over the centuries, Diwali has become a national festival that's also enjoyed by non-Hindu communities. For instance, in Jainism, Diwali marks the nirvana, or spiritual awakening, of Lord Mahavira on October 15, 527 B.C.; in Sikhism, it honors the day that Guru Hargobind Ji, the Sixth Sikh Guru, was freed from imprisonment. Buddhists in India celebrate Diwali as well.
How Is Diwali Celebrated?
The Diwali festival takes place over five days. On the first day, Dhanteras, is for celebrating Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity, youth and beauty. On this first day, people buy new items such as jewelry, clothing and utensils and light lamps to welcome Lakshmi.
The second day, known as Chhoti Diwali, Naraka Chaturdasi or Kali Chaudas, focuses on a story from Hindu mythology about the god Krishna and his defeat of the demon god Narakasura. On this day, some people put up twinkling lights to celebrate his victory.
The third day, known as Diwali, Deepawali, or Lakshmi Puja, is the most important day of the Diwali festival. On this day, people visit family and friends to feast and exchange sweets and gifts. People also continue to light lamps and candles to welcome light and prosperity from the goddess Lakshmi.
On the fourth day, known as Govardhan Puja or Padva, some people in northern India build small piles of cow dung as a symbol of how Krishna defeated the king of the Hindu gods, Indra, by lifting up a mountain.
The fifth day, known as Bhai Dooj or Yama Dwitiva, is a day for brothers and sisters to honor one another. Siblings perform a ceremony called tilak and pray for one another. On this final day of Diwali, many people also set off fireworks.
How Diwali Inspired the Creation of SAVE ME FROM
On our founder, April Peck, went on a quest to India to discover the beauty secrets of Indian hair and was inspired to create clean haircare formulas centered around Ayurvedic principles of restoring balance within the whole hair from root to tip. This lead her discovery of fenugreek seeds —a medicinal spice used for centuries by Indian women for “amazing” hair— and formulated a patent-pending Fenugen technology using a concentrated blend of the bioactive compounds found in fenugreek proven to improve hair strength, shine, hydration, and scalp nourishment.
In our mission of creating the first-ever damage specific hair repair collection, we are diving much deeper than addressing damaged hair. “After losing my sister to suicide, I was determined to find a way to save others from suffering the same fate,” our founder shares. “I created SAVE ME FROM to advocate for suicide prevention and personal empowerment. I believe a good hair day helps us feel comfortable with ourselves. This self-love enables us to do so much more.”
From Dark to Light: Hope in A Jar
Our product's dark packaging with white lettering is inspired by Diwali, symbolizing new beginnings and light over darkness, also a metaphor of our brand's commitment to suicide prevention. "The darkness on the outside transitioning to the lighter-colored jar on the inside, represents there is hope for a better future...Early on in the process, I conceptualized a box that would be physically broken apart to open as a metaphor for hair breakage and our mission.." our founder says.
In addition, the jars inside are topped with vibrant colors inspired by the Hindu festival of Holi, "a festival of colors represent the opportunity to come together, forgive and enjoy the connection with others," says April Peck. The optimistic theme of the holiday, coupled with its Indian heritage connect back to our product's restorative nature and our Ayurvedic ingredients.
