DIWALI

INTRODUCTION

• Diwali is one of the major festivals of Hindu society in India and other countries.
• Diwali is considered as the festival of lights.
• People celebrate this festival with gusto by lighting up their houses with earthen garlands and electric decorations.
• According to the Hindu calendar, Diwali is celebrated on the new moon night of Kartika month.
• According to the Gregorian calendar, it usually falls between mid-October and mid-November.
• This important celebration of the country is also backed by many legends.

IMPORTANCE OF DIWALI

• The word ‘Diwali’ is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘row of lamps’.
• Hence, people prove lamps to illuminate their home.

STORIES OF DIWALI

1) KILLING OF NARAKASURA

• People of Eastern India associate Diwali with Goddess Durga and her incarnation Kali.
• Diwali is celebrated in Bengal with the Kali Puja ceremony.
• Meanwhile, the people of the Braj region of North India believe that Diwali is the day when Lord Krishna killed Narakasura.

2)RETURN OF SRI RAMA

• According to the Hindu epic Ramayana, Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama, Sita Devi, Lakshmana and Hanuman to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile.
• His return was on the black quarter of Libra.
• The people of Ayodhya lighted the entire streets to welcome him.
• It is believed that Diwali is celebrated as a day of renewing that memory.

3) BIRTHDAY OF GODDESS LAKSHMI

• Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth is said to have come from the depths of the ocean on Diwali.
• It was on the new moon day of Kartika month.
• Devi married Lord Vishnu on the same night.
• Lamps were lit and celebrated to witness this event.
• Hence the tradition of lighting lamps and candles during the Diwali festival is said to have originated in connection with these events.

4) RETURN OF PANDAVAS

• According to the ‘Mahabharata’, Diwali marks the return of the Panchapandavas to their native land of Hastinapuri after twelve years of exile.
• It is said that the locals threw bright earthen lamps everywhere to celebrate this.

5)IMPORTANCE IN JAINISM

• Vardhamana Mahavira is the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara of Jainism and the founder of modern Jainism.
• Jains believe Diwali is the day when Vardhamana Mahavira attained enlightenment.
• He is believed to have attained enlightenment in 527 BC.
• This is the reason why Jains celebrate Diwali.

6) HARVEST FESTIVAL

• Diwali is also celebrated as a harvest festival in many places.
• It is considered as the days when rich paddy cultivation in India bears its fruits.
• Diwali is the season of paddy harvest.
• Kubera, who is worshiped as the lord of wealth is also worshiped on Diwali.

CELEBRATIONS

There are celebrations that last for five days.

     DAY-1) DHANA THRAYODASHI

• Diwali celebrations begin on the day of Dhanteras or Dhanathrayodashi.
• On this day in the evening, Goddess Dhanalakshmi is invited to the house with a five-light lamp, worshiped and Mahalakshmi stotras such as Kanakadharastavam are recited.

    DAY-2) NARAKA CHATURDASHI

• Naraka Chaturdashi is the second day of Diwali celebration.
• Lord Krishna who killed Narakasura is worshiped on that day.

      DAY-3) LAKSHMI POOJA

• Lakshmi Pooja is the third day (new moon) of Diwali celebrations.
• On that day Ganapati, Lakshmi or the three forms of Adiparashakti namely Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati, Mahakali and Kuberan are worshipped.
• This is the most important Diwali celebrations in North India.

      DAY-4) BALI PRATIPADA

• It is believed that this is the day when Mahabali comes to see the land once in an year.
• It is also traditional to worship Mahabali and his wife Vindhyavali and light lamps in a row.
• Although customs vary from state to state, bathing, wearing new clothes and giving each other gifts are common.

      DAY- 5)BHATRU SECONDARY

• Bhatr Dwitiya is the fifth day of Diwali celebrations. With this the Diwali celebrations come to an end.
• Rituals performed by brothers and sisters together are important in the celebrations of this day.