For 2021, the Hindu, Jain and Sikh celebration of Diwali begins on Saturday, October 22 and will continue for five days through Wednesday, October 26, with the most important celebration falling on the third day, Monday, October 24.
The festival of Diwali (also called as Deepavali, Divali, Devali and -- in Nepal -- Tihar or Swanti) is the most important holiday in the Hindu calendar. It is also an important holiday for Jains and Sikhs.
For most people, the holiday should not affect class or work attendance, but may be observed by many students who practice one of these three religions.
Diwali marks the last day of the Hindu calendar. The holiday can last up to five days and celebrates (at least in part) the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. In much ofIndia (and especially in the North), the business community starts their financial new year with the holiday, and it is the beginning of the fiscal year.
Diwali is celebrated throughout the Hindu world, regardless of region (which is not always the case for other holidays). Divali is an official holiday not only in India and Nepal which both of majority Hindu populations, but also in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago, Malaysia, Guyana, Mauritius and Fiji.
The festival of Diwali (also called as Deepavali, Divali, Devali and -- in Nepal -- Tihar or Swanti) is the most important holiday in the Hindu calendar. It is also an important holiday for Jains and Sikhs.
For most people, the holiday should not affect class or work attendance, but may be observed by many students who practice one of these three religions.
Diwali marks the last day of the Hindu calendar. The holiday can last up to five days and celebrates (at least in part) the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. In much of
Diwali is celebrated throughout the Hindu world, regardless of region (which is not always the case for other holidays). Divali is an official holiday not only in India and Nepal which both of majority Hindu populations, but also in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago, Malaysia, Guyana, Mauritius and Fiji.
Diya |
Laxmi's footprints |
Various traditions for celebrating Diwali include lighting of oil lamps (diyas or jyothis), setting off of fire crackers, exchanging and eating decorated sweets, gathering at people's holiday-decorated homes in celebration and visiting Temples .
In different parts ofIndia , the holiday is marked by the giving of gifts of new utensils (especially cooking utensils), wearing of new clothes and/or the cleaning and painting of homes or workplaces. Many cities and towns also hold Diwali melas or open-air fairs during Diwali. For most Hindu traditions, Laxmi (or Lakshmi), the goddess of prosperity is especially revered on Divali. With homes with children, people often leave female footprints on the floor after the children have gone to sleep so that when they wake up they will see that the goddess Laxmi has visited the home in the night.
In different parts of
Gulab jaman |
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1613,158184-243192,00.html
Also, specialties made with cashews or pistachios are also widely eaten for Diwali. In much of
Other Diwali food specialties are more regional. For example, in much of the north of India, people eat patandas made of flour, unprocessed sugar cane and ghee as well as poodas (or mal poohas) made of flour and sugar syrup and eaten with chutney.
In Nepal, the traditional treat for Tihar (the Nepali name for Diwali) is called sel roti. Made of rice flour, milk and ghee and (depending on custom) flavored with cardamom or clove, the sel roti is somewhat like a thin, circular doughnut. Many Nepalis exchange sel roti with one another as gifts throughout Tihar. A recipe for sel roti can be found at
http://www.indobase.com/recipes/details/sel-roti.php
Sel roti |
http://www.indobase.com/recipes/details/sel-roti.php
In the far south of India , many sweets are eaten leading up to Diwali and into the first day, notably those made from honey and unprocessed sugar cane.
In Maharashtra a special mix of cane sugar and coriander seeds is customarily eaten on the first day. In Rajasthan, many people traditionally begin the holiday by eating Mawa Kachori, a puffed pastry made with sweetened evaporated milk (mawa) and nuts. A recipe for Mawa Kachori can be found at:
Mawa Kachori |
Religious Significance Diwali
Hindu Traditions
First (and especially in South India ), the holiday of Diwali commemorates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon king Narakasura, and so the victory of good over evil. Narakasura -- himself a son of Vishnu -- had become power-crazed overwelming Indra and other Vedas. He also became horribly abusive to women, enraging Krishna's wife Stayabhama and her relative Aditi. At the pleading of the Vedas and Aditi, Krishna attacked the demon. Riding on the battle-eagle Garuda, Krishna withstood various attacks from the armies of Narakasura, then withstood the thunderbolts and trident attacks of Narakasura himself. Krishna then used his discus to behead the demon king. Before dying, though, Krishna was asked to celebrate the anniversary of his death as a holiday, to which Krishna agreed. As a result, the first day of Diwali is celebrated as such.
Second (and especially in North India), Diwali celebrates the return after 14 years of exile of King Rama and his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. The holiday marks their return after a war in which King Rama killed the demon Ravana. Because it was dark as they returned, people lit oil lamps to light their way and thus the link of light over darkness.
Third, in Bhavishyottara and Bramhavaivarta Purana holy writings, Diwali is associated with Daitya kingBali , who is allowed to return to earth once a year.
Third, in Bhavishyottara and Bramhavaivarta Purana holy writings, Diwali is associated with Daitya king
The Significance of the Five Days
For Hindus, each of the five days carries a different significance. The first day throughout India is customarily dedicated to honoring Dhanavantri (also called Dhanvantar), the physician of the gods and the source of the Ayurveda (in Sanskrit, “the complete knowledge for long life”). Because of its association with Dhanavantri, the first day of Divali is often known as Dhanteras and includes the ritual lighting of oil lamps and veneration of the goddess Laxmi in her owl form. As with most pujas, Lord Ganesha – the deity who removes obstacles – is given honor at the opening of the holiday.
Deepdaan |
In many Hindu traditions, the first day of Diwali includes the ritual of Deepdaan in which worshipers light oil lamps for each member of their family and for often for their ancestors then set them afloat (usually) in a river or pond. Another Hindu tradition practiced in much of India is the giving of gold and jewelry gifts to bring about prosperity, making Diwali a major day for jewelers. In northern India and Gujarat , many Hindus celebrate Yamadeepdaan in which lamps are dedicated to the god of death Yamraj (or Yam) and kept lit all night long. In the far south of India, many Hindus celebrate the days leading up to Diwali as Asweyuja Bahula Thrayodasi, dedicated to the god of finance Lord Kubera in which shopowners whitewash their business, recite a special mantra to Lord Kubera and give coins to honor the goddess Laxmi. In West Bengal , Diwali coincides with the Puja Kali. While the rest of India honors Laxmi on this day, in West Bengal , Hindus honor Kali the Destroyer goddess of time and change.
Diwali fireworks |
For many Hindu traditions, the second day of Diwali often begins with ritual bathing before the sun comes up, with an anointing of oil and scrubbing of the body with ubtan (a mixture of fragrances with grains or rough flour). In
Swami Dayananda Saraswati |
Lord Krishna lifting Gorvardhan |
The fourth day of Diwali is celebrated in many Hindu traditions with a special Govardhan Puja. This puja commemorates Lord Krishna’s defeat of the rain god Lord Indra by lifting Govardhan Mountain . Some interpretations (there are many variations) explain that Lord Krishna needed to defeat the Lord Indra because the rain god had become to arrogant and filled with self-pride. In doing so Lord Krishna taught worshipers to pray to more than just the rains by embracing the whole of nature. This celebration is also called Annakut (literally meaning “pile of grain”) because people in many parts of India decorate a mountain of grain symbolizing Govardhan Mountain .
On the fifth Day of Diwali comes the Bhai Duj or Bhai Teeka, a final day of celebration. On this day traditionally, brothers visit the houses of their sisters to honor them and bring gifts. Sisters in turn feed their brothers special delicacies. The celebration commemorates the visit on this day of the death god Lord Yama to his twin sister Yami (also called Yamuna or Yamini), the first woman. Lord Yama gave his sister a special gift that whoever visited her on this day would be cleared of sins.
Diwali in Jainism and Sikhism
As mentioned earlier, Diwali is not only practiced by Hindus. It is also a holiday for Jains and Sikhs.
Diwali Traditions in Jainism
Lord Mahavira |
In Jainism, Diwali is of particular significance. Jains, like Hindus, celebrate the holiday not only as the beginning of their New Year and as a time for a fresh start. Importantly, though, Jains also celebrate the holiday as the anniversary of Moksha (the attaining of nirvana) of Lord Mahavira, the founder of the religion.
Diwali Traditions in Sikhism
In Sikhism, Diwali is celebrated as a commemoration of the release from prison of the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. When Jahangir, the fourth Mughal emperor succeeded his father -- the famously religiously tolerant Akbar the Great. Although he was not a particularly devout Muslim, Jahangir felt threatened by the non-Muslims in his empire, including the Sikhs but also many Hindus. As a result of his concerns regarding the Sikhs, Jahangir arrested Hargobind's father the fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev. Jahangir tortured Guru Arjan Dev for five days before having him killed.
Release of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and the 52 Hindu Kings |
Concluding Remarks
This overview of Diwali is meant only as a very superficial summary. Also, nothing written here is meant to be an indication of one way or another as the proper or correct way to worship. This is meant solely as an attempt to provide a layperson's quick summary of Diwali.
Because there are literally hundreds of separate traditions for celebrating Diwali, I could only cover a few here. Please do feel free to share any of your own traditions that I have not covered.
Whatever your tradition, Happy Diwali!
This overview of Diwali is meant only as a very superficial summary. Also, nothing written here is meant to be an indication of one way or another as the proper or correct way to worship. This is meant solely as an attempt to provide a layperson's quick summary of Diwali.
Because there are literally hundreds of separate traditions for celebrating Diwali, I could only cover a few here. Please do feel free to share any of your own traditions that I have not covered.
Whatever your tradition, Happy Diwali!
Want to learn more?
For Hindu traditions, you may wish to look at
For Sikh tradtions and the story of Guru Hargobind, turn to
For Jain traditions, turn to
Opening "Happy Diwali" clipart: http://www.101kidz.com/holidays/diwali/clipart.html
Sel roti: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sel_roti
Lord Krishna defeating the demon Narakasura: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Krishna_Narakasura.jpg
Rama defeating Ravana: http://www.les-108-upanishads.ch/images/rama_defeating_ravana.jpg
Lord Krishna lifting Gorvardhan: http://www.graphics18.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/govardhan_puja.jpg
Swami Dayananda Saraswati: http://www.4to40.com/images/photo_gallery/Dayananda_Saraswati.jpg
Lord Mahavina: http://www.jainworld.com/photos/m.asp
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