Diwali also known as the "festival of lights", is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartik. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November.
Before Diwali night, people
clean, renovate and decorate their homes. On Diwali night, Hindus dress up in
new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and
candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family puja
typically to Lakshmi
- the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After puja (prayers), fireworks
follow,[9] then a family feast including mithai
(sweets),
and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Diwali also
marks a major shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.
Diwali is an important festival
for Hindus. The name of festive days as well as the rituals of Diwali vary
significantly among Hindus, based on the region of India. In many parts of
India, the festivities start with Dhanteras, followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on
second day, Diwali on the third day, Diwali Padva dedicated to
wife-husband relationship on the fourth day, and festivities end with Bhau-beej dedicated to
sister-brother bond on the fifth day. Dhanteras usually falls
eighteen days after Dussehra.
On the same night that Hindus
celebrate Diwali, Jains
celebrate a festival of lights to mark the attainment of moksha by Mahavira, and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas.
No comments:
Post a Comment