About Diwali

Diwali (or Deepavali, the “festival of lights”) is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year in india. Diwali is the biggest and the brightest festival in india. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness. The Festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five-day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, the new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika and Diwali falls between mid-October and mid-November.

Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes and offices, On Diwali night Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas and candles inside and outside their home, participate in family puja typically to Lakshmi – the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After puja fireworks follow then a family feast including mithai, and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Diwali also marks a major shopping period in india.

Diwali is an important festival for hindus.The name of festive days as the rituls of Diwali vary with Dhanteras, followed by Naraka Chaturdasi or kali chaudas on second day, Diwali on the third day, Diwali padva dedicated to wife-husband relationship on the fourth day, and festivities end with Bhai-beej dedicated to sister-brother bond on the fifth day. Dhanteras usually falls eighteen days after Dussehra.

On the same night that Hindus celebrate Diwali, Jains celebrate a festival of light to mark the attainment of moksha by Mahavira and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas. Diwali is an Official holiday in Nepal, India, sri lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tabago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji, and Pakistan.

The religious significance of Diwali varies regionally within india, depending on the school of hindus philosophy, regional myths, legends, and beliefs.

Many see Diwali Honouring the return of the god Rama, His wife sita and his brother Lakshmana from exile of 14 year, as told in the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana. To same, Diwali marks the return of pandvas after 12 years of vanvas and one year of agyatavas in the other ancient Hindu epic Mahabharat. Many other Hindus believe Diwali is linked to the celebration of lakshmi, the goddness of wealth and properity, and wife of the god Vishnu. The five day festival of Diwali begins on the day lakshmi was born from the churning of cosmic ocean of milk by the gods and the demos; the night of Diwali is the Lakshmi chose Vishnu as her husband and then married him. Along with Lakshmi, devotees make offering to Ganesha who symbolizes ethical beginnings and fearless remover of obstacles; Sarasvati who symbolizes music, literature and learning; and Kubera who symbolizes book keeping, treasury and wealth management, Other

Hindus Believe that Diwali is the day Vishnu came back to Lakshmi and their abode on the Vaikunth; so those who worship Lakshmi receive the benefit of her good mood, and therefore are blessed with mental, physical and material well-being during the year ahead.

Hindus in India’s eastern region, such as Odisha and West Bengal, worship the goddness Kali instead of Lakshmi, and call the festival Kali Puja. In India’s Braj and north central regions, the god Krishna is recognized. . People mark Mount Govardhan, and celebrate legends about Krishna. In Other regions, the feasts of Govardhan Puja (or Annakoot) is celebrate, with 56 or 108 different cuisines prepared, offered Krishna, then shared and celebrate by the local community.

In West and certain Northern parts of India, the festival of Divali marks the start of a new Hindu Year.

Dhanteras

Dhanteras starts off the five day festival, starting days before and through Dhanteras, Houses and business premises are cleaned, renovated and decorated. Women and children decorate entrances with Rangoli- creative colourful floor designs both inside and in the walkways of their homes or offices. Boys and men get busy with external lighting arrangements and completing all renovation work in progress. For some, the day celebrates the churning.  Of cosmic ocean of milk between the forces of good and forces of evil; this day marks the birthday of Lakshmi- the Goddness of Wealth and Prosperity, and the birthday of Dhanvantri – the God of Health and Healing. On the night of Dhanteras, days (lamps) are ritually kept burning all through in honor of Lakshmi and Dhanvantri.

Dhanteras is also a major shopping day, particulary for gold silver articles. Merchants, traders and retailers stock up put articles on sale and prepare for this day. Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening. Some people decorate their shops, work place or items symbolizing their source of sustenance and prosperity.

Naraka Chaturdasi

Naraka chaturdasi is the day of festivities, and is also called Choti Diwali. Typically, house decoration and clourful floor patterns called rangoli are made on or before Narak Chaturdasi. Special bathing rituals such as a fragrant oil bath are held in some regions, followed by minor pujas Women decorate their hands with henna designs. Families are also busy preparing homemade sweets for main Diwali.

Lakshmi puja

The third day is the main festive day. People wear new clothes or their best outfit as the evening approaches. Then diyas are lit, pujas are offered to Lakashmi, and to one or more additional deities depending on the region of India; typically Ganesha, Sarasvati, and Kubera. Lakshmi symbolizes wealth and prosperity, and her blessings are invoked for a good year ahead.

Lakshmi is believed to roam the earth on Diwali night. On the evening of Diwali, people open their doors and windows to welcome Lakshmi, and place diya lights on their windowsills and balcony ledges to invite her in. On this day, the members who work hard all year. Are recognized by the family and she is seen to embody a part of Lakshmi, the good fortune and prosperity of the household. Small earthenware and houses. Some set diyas adrift on rivers and streams. Important relationship and friendship are also recognized during the day, by visiting relatives and friends exchanging gifts and sweets.

After the puja, people go outside and celebrate by lighting up patakhe (fireworks). The children enjoy sparklers and variety of small fireworks, while adults enjoy playing with ground chakra, Vishnu chakra, flowerpots (anaar), stuli bomb, rockets and bigger fireworks. The fireworks signify celebration of Diwali as well a way to chase away evil spirits. After fireworks. People head back to a family feast, conversations and mithai (sweets, desserts).

Padwa, Balipratipada

The day after Diwali, is celebrated as Padwa. This day ritually celebrates the love and mutual devotion between the wife and regions, newly married daughters with their husbands are invited for special meals. Sometimes brother go and pick up their sisters from their in-laws for this important day. The day is also a special day for the marred couple, in a manner similar to anniversaries elsewhere in the world. The day after Diwali devotees, perform Goverdhan puja in honor of Lord Krishna.

Diwali also marks the beginnings of new year, in some parts of india, where the Hindu Vikram Samvat calendar is popular. Merchants and shopkeepers close out their old year, and start a new fiscal year with blessings from Lakshmi and other deities.

Bhai Duj, Bhaiya Dooji

The last day of festival is Bhai dooj , where it is the major day of the festival. It celebrates the sister-brother loving relationship, in a spirit similar to Raksha Bandhan but with different rituals. The day ritually emphasizes the love and life long bond between siblings. It is a day when women and girls get together .perform a puja with prayers for the well being of their brothers, then return to a ritual of food-sharing, gift-giving and conversations, in historic times. This was a day in autumn when brothers would travel to meet their sisters, or bring over their sister’s family to their village homes to celebrate their sister-brother with the bounty of seasonal harvests.