About Diwali
Diwali or Deepavali is one of the widely celebrated festivals of the Hindus. It is known as the “Festival of lights”, since a special highlight of this festival is the lighting of a variety of diyas or lamps in houses and temples. In Hinduism, light stands for goodness. So, in Diwali, candles, oil lamps, and lights are burned all throughout with the belief that evil and darkness will be eliminated.
When is Diwali Celebrated and What is Its Significance?
Diwali is celebrated on the 15th day of Kartika in the Hindu calendar and the month of October/November according to the English calendar. It falls on a no-moon day (Amavasya) just 20 days after Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami. In 2011, Diwali will be celebrated on October 26.
Significance of Diwali
The festival of Diwali has its significance not only in Hinduism but also in Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. The Hindus associate Diwali with the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana (the demon King of Lanka) and his return to Ayodhya after having spent 14 years of exile. On that day, Lord Rama was welcomed with rows of lamps lighted all throughout his kingdom. Since then, the Hindus have been following the tradition of lighting oil lamps and earthen pots on Diwali as a sign of victory of the good over evil.
Another significance of Diwali in Hinduism is to welcome Goddess Lakshmi by drawing rangolis. The Hindus also draw the footsteps of the Goddess at the entrances of their homes and rooms, which would allure Goddess Lakshmi visit their homes and shower them with wealth and prosperity.
In Sikhism, Diwali marks the homecoming of Guru Har Gobind Ji (the sixth Guru) who was imprisoned by Emperor Jahangir. Once he was freed, he visited the golden temple of Amritsar. The whole city of Amritsar witnessed the lighting of lamps on that day, and this has been followed as a tradition over the years.
In Jainism, Diwali is celebrated to commemorate Lord Mahavira’s attainment of Nirvana. This festival is also observed by a certain section of the Buddhists.
What is the History of Diwali?
The history of Diwali includes legends that mark the victory of good over evil. Below, you will find ancient stories related to the celebration of Diwali.
Story of Lord Rama and Sita: Lord Rama was sent into exile by his father, King Dashratha. He was accompanied by his wife, Sita and brother, Lakshman. After 14 years of exile, Lord Rama returned to his kingdom. During this time, he defeated King Ravana who was dominated by his evil mind. The people of Ayodhya welcomed Lord Rama with sparkling clay lamps. Since then, Diwali celebrations are marked by the burning of candles, lamps, and different kinds of lights.
Victory of Lord Krishna over demon Narkasura: Lord Krishna is considered to be the 8th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He was responsible for the destruction of demon Narkasura who had indeed caused unhappiness to people on earth. Narkasura used to kidnap young women, thus compelling them to live with him. To destroy Narkasura, Lord Krishna fought with a five-headed monster who used to protect the demon’s home.
Finally, Narkasura realized that his death could bring happiness to people on earth. Lord Krishna granted him death and freed the women who were forced to live with him. This story reminds one of the destruction of evil so that goodness could prevail. Hence, it is associated with the festival of Diwali.
Story of King Bali and vamana avatar: King Bali was generous yet ambitious. The gods requested Lord Vishnu to check Bali’s power. Dressed as a priest, Lord Vishnu visited the earth taking the form of a vamana or dwarf. The vamana told King Bali that the latter was the ruler of the earth, sky, and underworld, and asked him whether he would allow the former to cover the space with his three strides.
King Bali laughed because he knew that it was impossible for the dwarf to cover such a huge area. Soon after, the vamana took his original form as Lord Vishnu and covered the earth, sky, and entire universe with his three strides. Lord Vishnu then sent King Bali to the underworld.
Lord Krishna and the Govardhan Mountain: In ancient times, the people of Gokul believed that it was Lord Indra who had been sending rains for their crops to flourish. So, they used to pray to Indra. But Lord Krishna insisted that the people worship the Govardhan Mountain, as he realized that the crops flourished because the mountain and the nearby land were fertile. Lord Indra was not happy to hear this. So, he sent severe rains and thunder in the village of Gokul.
Lord Krishna lifted the mountain with his finger so as to protect the villagers from destruction. The villagers were thankful to Lord Krishna. This story is remembered by Hindus as a sign of their gratitude toward god for the bounty of nature.
What are the Diwali Celebrations and Traditions?
Diwali is celebrated for around 5 days, and each day has a significance of its own. Here’s how each day is observed.
First day: The first day of Diwali is known as Dhanteras. On this day, people purchase items made of metal, especially silverware and gold items or jewelry. They also get new utensils for their houses.
Second day: The second day is known as Chhoti Diwali. It is the day when people follow the tradition of playing cards. There goes a belief that Goddess Parvati played dice with Lord Shiva (her husband) during Diwali. The Goddess then declared that anyone who indulged in gambling on Diwali would prosper throughout the year.
In Maharashtra, people follow the tradition of taking a bath with oil and utpan (a paste of gram flour and fragrant powders) before sunrise. In North Indian states like Punjab, Lord Rama is worshipped on Diwali, whereas in Bengal, the worship of Goddess Kali is prominent.
Third day: The third day of Diwali celebration is called Badi Diwali. This is when Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped by the Hindus with the hope that the former would bless them with wealth and prosperity.
Fourth day: The fourth day of Diwali is when the Hindus perform Govardhan puja. This is done as a sign of showing respect and honor to the Govardhan Mountain which is associated with Lord Krishna. The deities in the temples of Mathura and Nathadwara are bathed in milk and decorated with shining clothes and jewelry made of diamonds and precious stones. A variety of sweets are offered to the deity as “bhog”, which is later on consumed as “prasad”.
Fifth day: The final day of Diwali is when people celebrate Bhai Dooj in order to appreciate and honor the relationship between a brother and a sister. On this day, brothers visit their sisters’ homes and their sisters welcome them with a variety of sweets. The most important part of Bhai Dooj is that sisters apply a “teeka” on the forehead of their brothers and wish for their success and well-being. In return, they get exciting gifts from their brothers.
Aside from the 5-day celebrations and traditions, Diwali is all about sparkling lights, fireworks, gifts and sweets distributed to your family members, friends, and associates.
Diwali is considered as an auspicious occasion not just for professionals but also merchants and businessmen. Some of them begin their fiscal year during this time as a sign of respect to Goddess Lakshmi.
On Diwali, people make sure that they wear new clothes and decorate their houses to set the mood of the festive occasion. Read on to know about the decorations.
How Do People Go About Diwali Decorations?
On Diwali, people decorate their homes with torans of leaves and flowers, colorful rangolis, and rows of lamps. They use mango leaves and marigold flowers to create torans which are then hung on the doorways.
The rangolis are created with powders of multiple colors. Most of these rangolis are based on motifs that represent auspicious symbols of prosperity.
Diwali decorations also include lighting of candles, oil lamps, and the use of modern lighting techniques so as to brighten one’s home on this auspicious occasion.
This is how Diwali is celebrated by one and all. So, gear up for the festive celebrations and enjoy with your dear ones and friends. Let the good win over the evil on every such Diwali!