DIWALI
The Festival of Lights!
The celebrations for this auspicious Hindu festival last for 5 days !
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Diwali is one of the most enchanting festival of India. The Festival of Diwali is celebrated with gaiety and enthusiasm throughout the country. India looks resplendent on Diwali day as all streets and houses light up with traditional Diwali Diyas, candles and strands of small electric bulbs to mark the Festival of Light. Diwali Festival is supposed to lead us to the light of knowledge from the darkness of ignorance.
Diwali, the words comes from Sanskrit ‘Deepawali’, meaning ‘rows of lights’ is celebrated on the Amavasya or the no moon day in the Hindu month of Kartik (October - November). The festival of Diwali falls 20 days after the famous festival of Dussehra. Diwali is celebrated as a five-day-long festival and there are set rituals for each of the five days. Diwali Festival marks the coronation of Lord Ram as the King of Ayodhya on his return to the kingdom with wife Sita and brother Laxman after 14 long years of exile and slaying of Ravana - the demon King of Lanka. As the Hindus hold Lord Ram in high esteem, the festival of Diwali is celebrated with joy and charm that is unmatched in celebration with any other festival.
Importance Of Diwali
Diwali is a word that has been derived from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, which means a "row or a string of lights". The word is a conjugation of "deepa" or an earthen lamp and "vali" or a continuous row or series of something. The festival falls during the beginning of autumn and at the end of summer harvest. Diwali coincides with the darkest day of the year, also known as Amavasya. This day is the darkest of Hindu lunisolar calendar. Although the festival has been known as a predominantly Hindu festival, it's also celebrated by Jains, Sikhs and Newar Buddhists. However, the day marks different historical events and stories for all these religions.
Diwali is a word that has been derived from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, which means a "row or a string of lights". The word is a conjugation of "deepa" or an earthen lamp and "vali" or a continuous row or series of something. The festival falls during the beginning of autumn and at the end of summer harvest. Diwali coincides with the darkest day of the year, also known as Amavasya. This day is the darkest of Hindu lunisolar calendar. Although the festival has been known as a predominantly Hindu festival, it's also celebrated by Jains, Sikhs and Newar Buddhists. However, the day marks different historical events and stories for all these religions.
On the day of Diwali, people spruce up their houses to welcome Goddess Lakshmi - the Hindu mythological Goddess of Wealth. People believe that Goddess Lakshmi visits only clean houses on Diwali. Womenfolk engage themselves in preparing festival special dishes like laddoos, mathri, dahi bade etc. People also visit friends and relatives during the day to greet each other the best of Diwali. They also exchange Diwali Gifts which usually is a box of sweets, a packet of dry fruit, a decorative item or other household goods. It is believe that exchange of gifts on Diwali Day helps to strengthen relationships.
In the evening earthen diyas, candles and layers of electric bulbs are lighted by people to mark the festival. People wear bright new clothes and women adorn themselves with heavy jewelry. All members of the family gather in the worship room to perform the traditional Lakshmi Puja on the occasion of Diwali. People pray for prosperity and happiness in the coming year. This is because Diwali marks the beginning of New Year especially by the Hindu business community. Businessmen start new account books on the auspicious day of Diwali.
A sumptuous family dinner follows the Puja and thereafter, it is time to burn crackers. Everybody gathers in the open area outside the house and indulge in a show of fire works Sky looks brilliant with the dazzling sparkle of crackers. Children enjoy playing with small crackers like phuljhari, anaar (flowerpot) and chakris. Some people also follow the tradition of playing cards and gambling on the day of Diwali.
Diwali is a Hindu equinox "festival of lights" celebrated at the new moon in the month of Kartika, around the time of the autumn harvest and the start of the winter sowing.
Hiltebeitel mentions claims that the celebration of Diwali can be traced to A.D. 50-100 and that it comes from an autumnal festival for the dead.
The religious connotations of the festival are varied. Elements include: the return of Rama and Sita to the land where Rama ruled as king (Ayodhya in Northern India) and a symbolic re-enactment of the killing by Rama of Ravana and the freeing of Laksmi [Grottanelli).
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Small oil lamps or candles are customarily placed around the house. Sweet treats are exchanged, houses are whitewashed, new clothes worn, there's gambling, and fireworks highlight the bright light theme
- Short Description: Diwali (or Deepavali) is a four- or five-day celebration in October or November each year, held in honor of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth
- Location: In India and throughout the Indian diaspora
- Fun Fact: The date changes each year because the festival is scheduled according to the lunar calendar: Diwali celebrates the new moon of the first lunar month, Kartik.
- Fun Fact: As the festival of lights, Diwali is characterized by massive amounts of fireworks and firecrackers, intended to offset the cold, dark nights of the coming winter.
The word "Deepavali" means "a row of lights" in Sanskrit, and its origins were likely as an ancient harvest festival. Today it is the "festival of lights," attached to various mythological stories, particularly tales about Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The date of Deepavali on the new moon makes it the darkest night in the month of Kartik, when the nights are cold, long, and dark: all the lights make that darkness easier to bear.
Diwali is typically a four- or five-day event, starting two days before the new moon and extending two days afterward. It is traditionally a puja, or a celebration that worships, honors, and shows devotion to the divine. In India, while everyone celebrates Deepavali, people don't amass in public, but rather in small groups with their friends and families in homes, neighborhoods, and local temple communities. In the diaspora, all the countries in the world outside of the Indian subcontinent where Indian people have settled, Diwali is considered a public celebration open to Hindus and anyone else.
Large government-sponsored festivals are held in London, Sydney, Toronto, and Edinburgh, and they are often a showcase for Indian culture, music, dance, fashion, food, crafts, and fireworks. The incredible amount of fireworks and firecrackers set off during the five days of Diwali have become an issue in many Indian cities, to the point that ambient air and noise during Diwali are considered somewhat of a health hazard.
History of Diwali
The Diwali festival dates back to ancient times in India. It is mentioned in Sanskrit texts dating from the fourth century CE but was likely practiced for many hundreds of years before that. Although most important for Hindus, the festival is also observed by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. While different historical events are observed in different regions and by different faiths, Diwali represents the triumph of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance for all the cultures that celebrate it.
When Is Diwali / Deepavali ?
- 2022: Monday, October 24 (October 22–26)
- 2023: Wednesday, November 7 (November 5–9)
- 2024: Friday, November 1 (October 30–November 3)
- 2025: Tuesday, 21 October (October 19–23)
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