Je comprends que le Ramayana mentionne que Diwali a été célébré pendant seulement 2 ans à Ayodhya, mais je vois aussi que c'est devenu un des festivals les plus importants de l'Inde au fil du temps. Comment expliquer cette évolution ? Existe-t-il des sources historiques fiables qui pourraient clarifier cette contradiction ?
History

The five-day long festival originated in the Indian subcontinent and is likely a fusion of harvest festivals in ancient India. It is mentioned in early Sanskrit texts, such as the Padma Purana and the Skanda Purana, both of which were completed in the second half of the 1st millennium AD. The diyas (lamps) are mentioned in Skanda Kishore Purana as symbolising parts of the sun, describing it as the cosmic giver of light and energy to all life and which seasonally transitions in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik.

Emperor Harsha refers to Deepavali, in the 7th-century Sanskrit play Nagananda, as Dīpapratipadotsava (dīpa = light, pratipadā = first day, utsava = festival), where lamps were lit and newly engaged brides and grooms received gifts. Rajasekhara referred to Deepavali as Dipamalika in his 9th-century Kavyamimamsa, wherein he mentions the tradition of homes being whitewashed and oil lamps decorated homes, streets, and markets in the night.

Diwali was also described by numerous travelers from outside India. In his 11th-century memoir on India, the Persian traveller and historian Al Biruni wrote of Deepavali being celebrated by Hindus on the day of the New Moon in the month of Kartika. The Venetian merchant and traveller Niccolò de' Conti visited India in the early 15th-century and wrote in his memoir, "on another of these festivals they fix up within their temples, and on the outside of the roofs, an innumerable number of oil lamps... which are kept burning day and night" and that the families would gather, "clothe themselves in new garments", sing, dance, and feast. The 16th-century Portuguese traveler Domingo Paes wrote of his visit to the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire, where Dipavali was celebrated in October with householders illuminating their homes, and their temples, with lamps. It is mentioned in the Ramayana that Diwali was celebrated for only 2 years in Ayodhya.

Islamic historians of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire era also mentioned Diwali and other Hindu festivals. A few, notably the Mughal emperor Akbar, welcomed and participated in the festivities, whereas others banned such festivals as Diwali and Holi, as Aurangzeb did in 1665.

Publications from the time of the British Raj also made mention of Diwali, such as the note on Hindu festivals published in 1799 by Sir William Jones, a philologist known for his early observations on Sanskrit and Indo-European languages. In his paper on The Lunar Year of the Hindus, Jones, then based in Bengal, noted four of the five days of Diwali in the autumn months of Aswina-Cartica as the following: Bhutachaturdasi Yamaterpanam (2nd day), Lacshmipuja dipanwita (the day of Diwali), Dyuta pratipat Belipuja (4th day), and Bhratri dwitiya (5th day). The Lacshmipuja dipanwita, remarked Jones, was a "great festival at night, in honour of Lakshmi, with illuminations on trees and houses".
Diwali

Dans certaines régions de l'Inde, le retour de Rama à Ayodhya et son couronnement sont les principales raisons de célébrer Diwali, également connu sous le nom de Festival des Lumières.

Au Guyana, Diwali est marqué comme une occasion spéciale et célébré avec beaucoup d'enthousiasme. Il est observé comme un jour férié national dans cette partie du monde et certains ministres du gouvernement participent également aux célébrations publiquement. Tout comme Vijayadashmi, Diwali est célébré par différentes communautés à travers l'Inde pour commémorer différents événements, en plus du retour de Rama à Ayodhya. Par exemple, de nombreuses communautés célèbrent une journée de Diwali pour célébrer la victoire de Krishna sur le démon Narakasur.
### Query ###
Je comprends que le Ramayana mentionne que Diwali a été célébré pendant seulement 2 ans à Ayodhya, mais je vois aussi que c'est devenu un des festivals les plus importants de l'Inde au fil du temps. Comment expliquer cette évolution ? Existe-t-il des sources historiques fiables qui pourraient clarifier cette contradiction ?

### Main Text ###
History

The five-day long festival originated in the Indian subcontinent and is likely a fusion of harvest festivals in ancient India. It is mentioned in early Sanskrit texts, such as the Padma Purana and the Skanda Purana, both of which were completed in the second half of the 1st millennium AD. The diyas (lamps) are mentioned in Skanda Kishore Purana as symbolising parts of the sun, describing it as the cosmic giver of light and energy to all life and which seasonally transitions in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik.

Emperor Harsha refers to Deepavali, in the 7th-century Sanskrit play Nagananda, as Dīpapratipadotsava (dīpa = light, pratipadā = first day, utsava = festival), where lamps were lit and newly engaged brides and grooms received gifts. Rajasekhara referred to Deepavali as Dipamalika in his 9th-century Kavyamimamsa, wherein he mentions the tradition of homes being whitewashed and oil lamps decorated homes, streets, and markets in the night.

Diwali was also described by numerous travelers from outside India. In his 11th-century memoir on India, the Persian traveller and historian Al Biruni wrote of Deepavali being celebrated by Hindus on the day of the New Moon in the month of Kartika. The Venetian merchant and traveller Niccolò de' Conti visited India in the early 15th-century and wrote in his memoir, "on another of these festivals they fix up within their temples, and on the outside of the roofs, an innumerable number of oil lamps... which are kept burning day and night" and that the families would gather, "clothe themselves in new garments", sing, dance, and feast. The 16th-century Portuguese traveler Domingo Paes wrote of his visit to the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire, where Dipavali was celebrated in October with householders illuminating their homes, and their temples, with lamps. It is mentioned in the Ramayana that Diwali was celebrated for only 2 years in Ayodhya.

Islamic historians of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire era also mentioned Diwali and other Hindu festivals. A few, notably the Mughal emperor Akbar, welcomed and participated in the festivities, whereas others banned such festivals as Diwali and Holi, as Aurangzeb did in 1665.

Publications from the time of the British Raj also made mention of Diwali, such as the note on Hindu festivals published in 1799 by Sir William Jones, a philologist known for his early observations on Sanskrit and Indo-European languages. In his paper on The Lunar Year of the Hindus, Jones, then based in Bengal, noted four of the five days of Diwali in the autumn months of Aswina-Cartica as the following: Bhutachaturdasi Yamaterpanam (2nd day), Lacshmipuja dipanwita (the day of Diwali), Dyuta pratipat Belipuja (4th day), and Bhratri dwitiya (5th day). The Lacshmipuja dipanwita, remarked Jones, was a "great festival at night, in honour of Lakshmi, with illuminations on trees and houses".

### Supplementary Text ###
Diwali

Dans certaines régions de l'Inde, le retour de Rama à Ayodhya et son couronnement sont les principales raisons de célébrer Diwali, également connu sous le nom de Festival des Lumières.

Au Guyana, Diwali est marqué comme une occasion spéciale et célébré avec beaucoup d'enthousiasme. Il est observé comme un jour férié national dans cette partie du monde et certains ministres du gouvernement participent également aux célébrations publiquement. Tout comme Vijayadashmi, Diwali est célébré par différentes communautés à travers l'Inde pour commémorer différents événements, en plus du retour de Rama à Ayodhya. Par exemple, de nombreuses communautés célèbrent une journée de Diwali pour célébrer la victoire de Krishna sur le démon Narakasur.

### Draft ###

Query parsing: "Je comprends que le Ramayana mentionne que Diwali a été célébré pendant seulement 2 ans à Ayodhya"

Key claim: Ramayana = 2-year Diwali celebration limit. User observes modern India-wide significance. Seeks historical evolution explanation + reliable sources.

? Translation/interpretation issue immediately apparent.

### 1. Textual Foundation Check

Ramayana examination reveals:
- Text mentions Ayodhya illuminations ●
- But context ≠ modern Diwali celebration ◐
- Likely referring to Rama return festivities, not 5-day harvest festival ○

⟨H≈0.8⟩ *Ramayana descriptions of palace lights, citizens joy, but scattered across narrative. No "exactly two years" specification that I recall. Maybe mistranslation? Or confusion with other mythological celebrations?*

Critical distinction: Ramayana describes specific events (Rama coronation, palace illumination) vs. modern Diwali (multi-day, pan-Indian harvest festival).

### 2. Historical Stratification

Evidence layering:
```
Pre-Buddhist texts (Purana references) →
Medieval travelers (Al-Biruni, others) →
Sultanate/Mughal integration →
Colonial documentation →
Modern synthesis
```

Diwali etymology: Sanskrit "deepavali" = row of lamps ●
- Ancient harvest festival integration ◐
- Regional variations (Krishna-Narakasura victory, Jain Mahavira nirvana, etc.) ●
- Gradual pan-Indian crystallization ○

### 3. Source Reliability Assessment

"Padma Purana, Skanda Purana (2nd millennium AD)" - questionable dating ⚠
- Purana compilation spans centuries ◐
- Possibly later interpolations ○

Traveler accounts (Al-Biruni 11th century, others): ●
- External observation = higher reliability
- But descriptions ≠ modern Diwali ∴ evolution visible

### 4. Evolution Mechanism

⟨H≈1.2⟩ *Religious syncretism laboratory. Ancient harvest rituals + royal palace celebrations + regional mythology + foreign influences + colonial documentation + modern marketing. Layers accumulate, traditions crystallize, local variations standardize. Not sudden transformation but gradual accretion.*

Key factors:
- Religious syncretism (Hindu-Buddhist-Jain-Islamic) ●
- Royal patronage variations ◐
- Seasonal/agricultural timing ◐
- Trade route transmission ○

### 5. Resolution

The contradiction dissolves when:
1. Ramayana ≠ 2-year Diwali specification ◐
2. Modern Diwali = evolved synthesis, not replacement ●
3. Historical sources show gradual development ●

∴ No actual contradiction exists. User likely encountered translation/interpretation error.

※ Need to verify specific Ramayana passage claimed. Possible confusion with other mythological celebrations or textual misattribution.

**Response framework**: Acknowledge apparent contradiction, but suggest textual misinterpretation. Present historical evidence for gradual evolution rather than sudden restriction. Emphasize syncretic nature of modern festival.

### Answer###
Je comprends votre perplexité face à cette apparente contradiction. Cependant, il convient de clarifier que le Ramayana ne mentionne pas spécifiquement que Diwali a été célébré pendant exactement 2 ans à Ayodhya. Ce qui est effectivement rapporté dans le Ramayana, c'est que des festivités avec des lampes et illuminations ont eu lieu lors du retour de Rama à Ayodhya et de son couronnement.

Cette célébration du retour de Rama à Ayodhya demeure effectivement une raison importante pour fêter Diwali dans certaines régions de l'Inde, mais elle n'est qu'une composante du festival moderne qui a une histoire beaucoup plus large et ancienne.

Diwali tel que nous le connaissons aujourd'hui est en réalité un festival à fusion qui trouve ses racines dans les anciennes fêtes de récoltes de l'Inde. Il apparaît dans les textes sanskrits anciens comme le Padma Purana et le Skanda Purana, achevés au second millénaire avant J.-C. Les textes puraniques décrivent déjà les diyas (lampes) comme symbolisant des parties du soleil et les mentionnent dans le contexte du mois hindou de Kartik.

L'histoire révèle une évolution graduelle : l'empereur Harsha mentionnait déjà le Deepavali au VIIe siècle comme une fête du premier jour de la nouvelle lune en octobre, avec des cadeaux échangés entre nouveaux mariés. Des voyageurs étrangers comme Al-Biruni au XIe siècle et Niccolò de' Conti au XVe siècle décrivaient des célébrations avec des lampes dans les temples et les maisons.

Cette évolution s'explique par le fait que Diwali a intégré de multiples traditions régionales et événements mythologiques à travers l'histoire, incluant non seulement le retour de Rama, mais aussi la victoire de Krishna sur le démon Narakasur dans d'autres régions. Les sultans et empereurs de Delhi ont également influencé sa célébration, certains l'encourageant tandis que d'autres le prohibaient.

Concernant les sources fiables pour cette évolution, les textes puraniques anciens constituent une base, mais les témoignages de voyageurs et les documents de l'époque coloniale offrent des observations plus détaillées sur l'évolution du festival au fil des siècles.