Coming close on the heels of Dussehra, Diwali is celebrated on the last day of the Gujarati calendar year, and generally comes in the months of October or November, on the English calendar. It is one of the most important Indian festivals and is celebrated on a mass scale by Indians not only in India, but also all over the world.
The story behind diwali:
It is believed that on this day Lord Rama, along with his consort Sita and loyal brother Lakshman was returning to his hometown Ayodhya after 14 long years of exile in the forest. He had just finished battling and overcoming the fierce demon king of Ceylon, Ravana, who had abducted Sita. In this battle he was ably helped by Lord Hanuman and his army of monkeys as well as an army of courageous bears.
The people of Ayodhya lit lamps in every home to welcome their true King as well as celebrate his victory over Ravana and also the safe return of their Queen Sita. They danced and made merry and lit firecrackers to express their joy over his return. And as a mark of respect and worship the festivities continue every year till this today.
As another lesser-known story goes, Lord Krishna had battled a demon called Narakasura and emerged victorious. The people of the city were overjoyed and welcomed Krishna back with lamps in their hands.
Since Rama and Krishna are two of the most popular gods in the Hindu lore, it is only logical that Diwali is celebrated with such pomp and glory.
How is diwali celebrated?
According to an ancient myth, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth travels through all our homes on Diwali night and stops to bless the homes that are shiny and sparkling clean. So as this festival approaches, all houses go through a thorough spring-cleaning in anticipation of her wealth and blessings. She will be greeted by a beautiful gaily painted Rangoli on the threshold of each home while inside too she is welcomed by an array of sparklers and little earthen lamps that light up and considerably brighten the atmosphere.
The actual festivities start from Dhanteras, which is celebrated two days before Diwali. Everybody goes out of their way to make big purchases and buy new clothes and jewellery. This is because this day is considered auspicious for wealth, and it is said that if you buy any silver or gold on this day, you will be lucky throughout the year. The goddess Lakshmi is worshipped on this day through a Lakshmipujan, which is performed not only in the homes but in shops and offices as well.
But what would Diwali be without a burst of firecrackers and lights? The sound and light show starts at least a week prior to the actual festival and continues way into the New Year. Of course it reaches a crescendo on the day of Diwali itself, a day when people dress up in their best new clothes and go visiting each other, their relatives and friends with boxes of dry fruits and sweets and loads of love in their huge generous hearts.
Each day of Diwali is known by different names throughout the country.
Diwali is celebrated all over the country. Across every state, the celebrations revolve around the common theme of dispelling the darkness of ignorance and welcoming the light of knowledge. The festival is also associated with wealth and prosperity. Different regions of the country celebrate Diwali in different ways. As such, each day of Diwali often has its own unique name in a different part of the country.
First Day:
Dhanteras is the first day of Diwali. 'Dhan' refers to wealth; hence, this day is celebrated to worship Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. On this day, obeisance is also paid to Dhanavantri, the doctor of the Gods. This day is also known as Dhantrayodashi or Dhan Teyras. Another name for the first day of Diwali is Yamadeepdan. This name is associated with Yama, the god of death. The sixteen year old son of King Hima was destined to die on this day. However, the devotion of his wife impressed Yama so much that he returned back without taking the Prince's life. On this day, earthen lamps are lit for ancestors of the family and the lamps are floated down a river or pond. Lamps are also lit at the entrance of a home. Offerings comprising of water, rice, jaggery, vermillion, and flowers are kept for Yama. In South India, this day is known as Asweyuja Bahula Thrayodasi. It is a very auspicious day and every household celebrates by buying silver or gold items. If this is not financially possible, then at least new utensils are purchased.
Second Day:
In most of northern India, the second day of Diwali is known as Choti Diwali or small Diwali. Since it is Diwali on a smaller scale, only five to seven lamps are lit and placed at the entrance of the house. A few crackers are burst as well. This day is also known as Roop Chaturdasi. Hindus perform a ritual bath and meditate in order to enhance their beauty. In connection with this, the second day is also referred to as Kali Choudas. People apply kajal (black eye liner) to the eyes in order to ward off kali nazar (evil eye). In South India, the second day is called Narkachaturdashi. It is celebrated to commemorate the death of the demon king, Narakasura. In Andhra Pradesh, this day is also known as Divvela Panduga. At the end of this day, people take a bath with oil, accompanied by the bursting of firecrackers.
Third Day :
The third day is the most important day of Diwali. This day is dedicated to the worship of goddess Lakshmi. For Jains, this day is known as Deva Diwali. On this day, homes are brightly lit, and scriptures are read in order to worship Lord Mahavir. Kashmiri Pandits celebrate this day as Sukhsuptika, which literally means sleep with happiness. Badhausar is the name given to this day in Gujarat. It is believed that on this day, goddess Lakshmi visits all homes that are brightly lit. In some south Indian states, Diwali is known as Balindra Puja. On this day, a puja is performed to Lord Krishna and an offering of oil is made. Sikhs celebrate Diwali as Bandi Chhor Divas. This day is celebrated as a day of freedom by the Sikhs. Sindhis celebrate Diwali as Diyari. They too perform a Lakshmi puja on this day.
Fourth Day:
The fourth day of Diwali is usually celebrated as the New Year for most Hindus and is called as Bestavarsh. It is believed that Lord Krishna gave his protection to a cowherd family in Vrindavan to save them from the anger of Lord Indra. Hence this day is also termed as Annakoot. In Karnataka, this day is celebrated as Bali Pratipada. On this day, the demon king Bali descends to the earth to visit his loyal subjects.
Fifth Day :
The fifth day of Diwali is dedicated to celebrating the sacred bond between brothers and sisters. This day is mainly known as Bhai Dooj. However, there are variations in this name depending on the different parts of the country. In Bengal, this day is called as Bhai Phota while in Maharashtra, it is known as Bhau-beej. The fifth day is also referred to as Yamadwitheya. On this day, Lord Yama visited his sister Yamuna. This is also why this day is special for brothers and sisters.
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