Diwali: Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Bhuddist and South Asian festival of lights
Diwali (also: Deepawali) is one of India's biggest festival.
The word 'Deepawali' means rows of lighted lamps. It is a Festival of Lights and Hindus celebrate it with joy. During this festival, people light up their houses and shops with mall cup-shaped oil lamp made of baked clay). They worship the Lord Ganesha for welfare and prosperity marks the beginning of a new year. People clean and decorate their house before the festival. They do colorful rangoli art works on floors.
| Diwali / Dipavali /Deepavali | |
|---|---|
 Rangoli decorations, made using coloured powder, are popular during Diwali | |
| Observed by | Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists |
| Type | Indian, Cultural, Seasonal |
| Begins | Dhanteras, 2 days before Diwali |
| Ends | Bhai Dooj, 2 days after Diwali |
| Date | Kartik Amavasya (Varies per Hindu Lunisolar calendar) |
| 2023 date | 12 November (Sunday) |
| 2024 date | 6 November (Monday) |
| Celebrations | Diya and lighting, home decoration, shopping, fireworks, puja (prayers), gifts, performing religious rituals, feast and sweets |
| Related to | Kali Puja, Diwali (Jainism), Bandi Chhor Divas |
Deepawali is celebrated and is a public holiday in cous, shops school's offices and temples are thoroughly cleaned, whitewashed and decorated with pictures, toys and flowers. On the day of Deepawali, people put on their best clothes and exchange greetings, gifts and sweets with their friends and family.
At night, buildings are illuminated with earthen lamps, candle-stickweed. People buy sweets for their own families and also send them as presents to their friends and relatives. The Goddess Lakshmi is also worshiped in the form of earthen images, silver rupee. Hindus believe that on this day, Lakshmi only enters houses which are neat and tidy. People offer prayers for their own health, wealth and prosperity. They leave the light on in buildings believing that Lakshmi will not have difficulty in finding her way in.
Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the Hindus. It comes on Amavasya day in the month of Kartik. Both rich and poor wear new clothes on this day. Lots of sweets are made. People light divas and burn crackers. They ex- change greetings and sweets. Goddess Laxmi is worshipped on this day.
It is a festival of light and during this day people in India burst firecracker and draw rangoli on the floor.
References
Other websites
- The Ancient Origins of Diwali, India’s Biggest Holiday, Becky Little (2017)
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