Diwali or Deepawali is one of the most important festivals in India. We all know Diwali as the “Festival of Lights”. Diwali is celebrating in India for 5 days. On this day everyone celebrates this day with their family and friends. On this day everyone happily exchanges gifts, feeds sweets. In the evening, they light lamps together, burst crackers. This festival is celebrating on the night of ‘Amavasya’ or no moon night. According to the Hindu calendar, the new year begins.
It is a festival of lights because it signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and hope over despair.
Through this article, we are presenting you 5 days of Diwali, Date, Various rituals, Celebrations in front of you.
Diwali 2024
Date: Tue, 29 Oct, 2024 – Sun, 3 Nov, 2024
Occasion of 5 days of Diwali
The 5 days of Diwali serves on different occasions according to Hindu mythology. Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is a major Hindu festival celebrated over a span of five days. Each day of Diwali has its own significance and rituals. Here is a brief description of the occasion and the significance of each day:
Day 1: Dhanteras/Dhanatrayodashi
The first day of Diwali is known as Dhanteras or Dhanatrayodashi. It is considered an auspicious day for wealth and prosperity. People clean and decorate their homes, and purchase new items, especially gold or silver articles. It is believed that buying something on this day brings good luck and prosperity.
Day 2: Naraka Chaturdashi/Choti Diwali
The second day is known as Naraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali. It commemorates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura. People wake up early in the morning, take an oil bath, and wear new clothes. They light oil lamps and decorate their houses. Firecrackers are also burst to symbolize the victory of good over evil.
Day 3: Diwali
The third day is the main Diwali festival. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and is the most significant day of the five-day festival. People clean their homes and decorate them with colorful rangoli designs. They light diyas (oil lamps) and candles to welcome Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. Families come together, exchange gifts, and share festive meals. Fireworks are also a common part of the celebrations.
This day main Diwali day which involves worshiping Goddess Lakshmi to enjoy her birth from the churning of the ocean. In West Bengal, Odisha and Assam, this day is also celebrated as ‘Kali Puja’.
Day 4: Govardhan Puja/Padwa
The fourth day is known as Govardhan Puja or Padwa. It commemorates Lord Krishna’s lifting of Mount Govardhan to protect the people of his village from heavy rains. People prepare elaborate meals and offer them to Lord Krishna. In some regions, it is also celebrated as Annakut, where a variety of food items are arranged in a mountain-like structure and offered to deities.
Day 5: Bhai Dooj
The fifth and final day of Diwali is called Bhai Dooj. It celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters apply tikka (a mark) on their brothers’ foreheads, perform aarti (a ritual of worship), and exchange gifts. It is a day to express love and strengthen the sibling relationship.
These are the five days of Diwali, each with its own significance and rituals. The festival is celebrated with joy, lights, prayers, and togetherness, signifying the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.
Diwali Rituals | All Over India
Shopping & Gifts
Dhanteras is the most exciting part of Diwali, when people go shopping for their relatives and friends.
Especially on Diwali, families exchange gifts as a way of wishing each other a year full of happiness and success.
Laxmi Puja
It is one of the major rituals on Diwali when Goddess Lakshmi is worship in return for a better year filled with wealth, peace and prosperity.
Kali Puja
On this day in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam region of India, Goddess Kali Maa is worshipping with great pomp.
Home Decorations
Diwali celebration starts with decorating the house. People get their homes deep clean to make them more beautiful and pleasing.
The decorations include lights, diyas and flowers.
A major part of this celebration is the making of Rangolis, which are painting in colors at the entrances and courtyards of houses to welcome Goddess Lakshmi.
Feasts
Sweets like jalebi, laddu, gujiya, cashew-kathali, kheer, halwa and barfi are often prepare in the family during Diwali.
Fireworks
The bursting of crackers on Diwali has always been one of the major rituals of this festival!
Diwali Day Celebrations in Different Religions
Diwali is one of those Indian festivals that unites different religions, regions and cultures. This festival holds significance in Hinduism as well as Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism.
Hindus celebrate Diwali as the homecoming of Lord Rama in his hometown of Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana of Lanka after serving 14 years of exile in the jungles.
Jains celebrate this festival as the day when Mahavira, their last Tirthankara on earth, attained Nirvana or enlightenment.
Buddhists celebrate Diwali as the day when Emperor Ashoka converted himself to Buddhism.
Sikhs celebrate the festival along with several Hindu gurus to remember the homecoming of their Har Gobind ji from the prison of Emperor Jahangir.
FAQs on Diwali
Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is a Hindu festival celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy. It is often referred to as the “Festival of Lights” and symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.
Diwali is celebrated to commemorate various events and legends in Hindu mythology. The most widely known stories associated with Diwali include the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana, Lord Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakasura, and the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.
Diwali is celebrated through various rituals and customs. People clean and decorate their homes, light oil lamps and candles, create beautiful rangoli designs, burst fireworks, exchange gifts, and share festive meals with family and friends. Prayers and offerings are made to deities, particularly Goddess Lakshmi, to seek blessings for prosperity and well-being.
Diwali is known for its delicious sweets and snacks. Some popular ones include ladoos (sweet round balls made of flour and sugar), barfis (fudge-like sweets made from condensed milk or nuts), jalebis (deep-fried pretzel-shaped sweets soaked in sugar syrup), and namak para (savory fried snacks).
Although Diwali is primarily a Hindu festival, it is also celebrated by other religious communities, such as Sikhs and Jains. For Sikhs, Diwali marks the release of their sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, from captivity. Jains celebrate Diwali to commemorate the spiritual awakening of Lord Mahavira and his attainment of nirvana (liberation).
Diwali is typically celebrated over a period of five days. The main festival day, Diwali, falls on the third day of this five-day period. However, the exact duration and customs may vary depending on regional traditions and personal preferences.
