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 Date 2023
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Occasion of 5 days of Diwali
The 5 days of Diwali serves on different occasions according to Hindu mythology.
Dhanteras
The first day of Diwali is Dhanteras which marks the beginning of a new financial year for Hindus.
Choti Diwali | Narak Chaturdashi
The second day of Diwali is Choti Diwali which is celebrating to remember the victory of Lord Krishna over the devil king Naraka. In South India, this day is known as ‘Narak Chaturdashi’.
Diwali
The third day is the 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’.
Govardhan Puja
The fourth day of Diwali, known as Govardhan Puja, is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Lord Vishnu over the demon king Bali, as well as the victory of Lord Krishna over Lord Indra. People in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu celebrate this day as ‘Bali Pratipada’ or ‘Bali Padyami’.
Bhai Dooj
The fifth day of Diwali is known as Bhai Dooj which celebrates the love and bond of brothers and sisters.
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 guru Har Gobind ji from the prison of Emperor Jahangir.