Diwali 2024

As part of my ongoing announcements of religious observances, please note that for 2024, the 5-day Hindu, Jain, and Sikh celebration of Diwali begins on Wednesday October 29 with Dhanteras and will continue for five days through Sunday November 3 with Bhaj Dooj, with the most important celebration Laxmi Puja (or Lokkhi Pujo falling on the third day, Friday, November 1.  

Please note that individual worship practices may vary. So while some people may observe just the Laxmi Puja date (the third day), many other may observe the holiday for the entire five days. 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.

The festival of Diwali  (also called Deepavali, Deepwali, Divali, Devali and -- in Nepal and Sikkim  -- Tihar or Swanti) is the most important holiday in the Hindu calendar. It is also an important holiday for Jains and Sikhs. 

Some Buddhists also observe Diwali, but only as the commemoration of the date in 257BCE when Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism.

Diwali marks the last day of the Hindu calendar. Diwali celebrates (at least in part) the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. In much of India (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. Relatedly, in much of India, Hindus and Jains view the first day of Diwali (Dhanteras or Dhanatrayodashi) as a highly auspicious (muhurat) day for bringing luck and wealth. 

Customarily, on this first day of Diwali people buy gold, silver and jewelry to welcome in this good fortune. Newspapers publish the exact time that is most auspicious time for purchases. For example, for 2024, The Economic Times announced that "The auspicious time for Dhanteras puja muhurat in 2024 is between - 06:57 PM to 08:21 PM on October 29, 2024."  

 

On the third day -- November 1 for 2024 -- both of India's stock exchanges, the NSE and BSE, open for a special "Muhurat Trading Session" from 6:00-7:00 PM. As one financial journalist explains:

The importance of Muhurat trading stems from the fact that it provides investors with the opportunity to embark on their investment journey during an auspicious time. Goddess Laxmi is traditionally considered the Goddess of Wealth and traders consider it auspicious to kick start the new year with her blessings. 

Many seasoned investors also take this opportunity to incorporate new stocks into their portfolios or boost their investments in stocks they already own. This presents an excellent opportunity for seasoned investors to broaden their portfolios by introducing new stocks or expanding their current positions. Sparsh Bansal,  Financial Express (Oct. 25, 2024) 

Diwali is celebrated throughout the Hindu world, regardless of region (which is not always the case for other holidays).  Diwali is an official holiday not only in India and Nepal which both have majority Hindu populations, but also in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago, Malaysia, Guyana, Mauritius and Fiji. Additionally, US states have begun to recognize Diwali as a school holiday. On October 25, 2024, Pennsylvania became the first US state to make Diwali an official state holiday. This is a step further than New Jersey and Texas which (in 2022 and 2023 respectively recognized Diwali as a school holiday 2023. Additionally, in 2024, New York City officially is observing Diwali as a school holiday.

Diya



Laxmi's footprints

Various traditions for celebrating Diwali include lighting of oil lamps (diyas or jyothis), setting off of firecrackers, exchanging and eating decorated sweets, gathering at people's holiday-decorated homes in celebration and visiting Temples.   

In different parts of India, 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.

 

Gulab jaman

Special foods are often eaten. Some of these are widely eaten throughout India. For instance, regardless of region, it is customary to eat things that are sweet such as gulab jaman, which is usually made of milk dough soaked in rosemary, sugar syrup and cardamom. A recipe for gulab jaman can be found Cooks.com.

Also, specialties made with cashews or pistachios are also widely eaten for Diwali. In much of India, delicacies are made from Lord Krishna’s favorite food Poha (also called Foav or Pauva) which is pounded semi-cooked sweetened rice and eaten on the second day of the festival. 

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. 

Sel roti

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 the Indobase.com Indian Recipes section.  

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.   

Mawa Kachori

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 Manjula's Kitchen. 

 

Religious Significance Diwali

Lord Krishna defeating Narakasura Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Hindu Traditions 

Diwali has three main Hindu religious stories attached to it.  While some Hindu traditions have other associations as well, these three are the most widespread.

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, overwhelming 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. 

Rama defeating Ravana

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 king Bali, who is allowed to return to earth once a year.

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 shop owners 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 anointing of oil and scrubbing of the body with ubtan (a mixture of fragrances with grains or rough flour). In West Bengal, as part of the Puja Kali celebrations, the second day is observed as the day the goddess Kali destroyed the demon Raktavija. Regardless of tradition, this is the traditional day for cracking open crackers (of the sort used in Britain on Christmas Day) and for setting off firecrackers. Many areas have major firework displays on the second day of Diwali.

Swami Dayananda Saraswati

The third day of Diwali for most Hindu traditions centers on the veneration of Laxmi. That said, the third day of Diwali also marks the anniversary of the death in 1883 of the founder of the Arya Samaj Hindu Reform Movement Swami Dayananda Saraswati.  The followers of the Arya Samaj therefore often mark the day as a day of remembrance for 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 Lord Indra because the rain god had become too 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

At this point, the young Hargobind -- only eleven years old at the time -- became the sixth Sikh Guru. Jahangir arrested the young Guru Hargobind but did not kill him as he had killed his father. Instead, Guru Hargobind was imprisoned (along with 52 Hindu kings) at Gwalior Fort. He remained there from 1617 until Diwali of 1619 when Guru Hargobind and the Hindu kings were freed. It is this release from imprisonment that the Sikhs celebrate at Diwali. The holiday is commonly called Bandi Chorh Divas or Prisoner Release Day.

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! 

Want to learn more?

For Hindu traditions, you may wish to look at

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/diwali/eventcoverage/10244929.cms

http://www.diwalifestival.org/diwali-traditions-customs.html

http://www.hindu-blog.com/2008/10/yamadeepdaan-diwali-yamdeepdan.html

http://www.indiaexpress.com/faith/festivals/dhistory.html

http://festivals.iloveindia.com/diwali/index.html

For Sikh tradtions and the story of Guru Hargobind, turn to

http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/sikh-festivals/the-sikh-festivals-divali-bandi-chhorh-divas

http://www.sikhs.org/guru6.htm

 http://www.sgpc.net/gurus/guruhargobind.asp

For Jain traditions, turn to 

http://www.jainuniversity.org/diwali.aspx

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nikhil-bumb/jain-perspective-diwali_b_1032617.html 

Clip Art Sources

Opening "Happy Diwali" clipart: http://www.101kidz.com/holidays/diwali/clipart.html

Gulab jaman: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fBH-XI0AzsQ/TNQfq0Y4lpI/AAAAAAAAAso/nRsvSBVcM7M/s1600/IMG_1408.JPG

Sel roti: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sel_roti

Mawa Pachori: http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2011/10/15/mawa-kachori-puffed-pastry/

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

Deepdaan: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110203/dplus4.jpg

Diwali fireworks: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_M9ckjS8Bq4Y/TMBnxBGYtMI/AAAAAAAADp0/NQ5WceUnRl8/s1600/fireworks-017.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

  

Release of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and the 52 Hindu Kings: http://jattsingh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Bandi-Chhorh-Divas.jpg

Closing clipart   http://openclipart.org/image/800px/svg_to_png/164947/diwali_lamp.png