More than a billion Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists around the world celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights.
Diwali, also called Deepavali, is one of the biggest festivals in India. It is also widely celebrated in Nepal, Malaysia, Fiji and other countries with large South Asian diasporas. Homes, businesses and public spaces are lit with diyas, oil lamps made of clay, and there are lots of fireworks. People gather with their families, eat sweets and exchange gifts.
Despite its deep religious significance, Diwali today is also a cultural festival celebrated by people regardless of their faith.
Here’s what you need to know about the holiday.
What is Diwali?
Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word deepavali, which means ‘row of lights’.
It marks the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil. Although Diwali traditions vary by region and religion, the myths and historical stories behind the holiday share themes of justice and liberation.
When is Diwali?
Diwali is celebrated every year in autumn, usually between October and November. The festival lasts five days, with the main celebration taking place on the third day. This year, Diwali will be celebrated on October 31.
These are the five days of Diwali:
• Dhanteras: People usually celebrate the first day of Diwali by buying gold and silver jewelry, kitchenware and other new household items as a good luck charm. Many clean their homes to invite the blessings of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Others also honor Dhanvantari, the god of Ayurveda, and Yamaraj, the god of death, on this day.
• Choti Diwalior Naraka Chaturdashi: The second day of Diwali marks Lord Krishna’s defeat of the demon king Narakasura. People wake up early to bathe and wash their hair. They also clean their houses, decorate them with rangolis and diyas and prepare sweets.
• diwali, or Lakshmi Puja: The third day of the festival is what people generally consider as Diwali. Families come together to exchange gifts, enjoy delicious dishes and indulge in sweets. Many Hindus worship the goddess Lakshmi on this day.
• Padwaor Govardhan Puja: The fourth day of Diwali honors the relationship between husband and wife, and men usually buy a gift for their husbands. In some traditions, it commemorates the day when Lord Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill to protect the villagers of Vrindavan from the rain caused by Lord Indra’s wrath. Some devotees offer a mountain of food to Krishna in his memory, while others make figures from clay and cow dung to recreate the event.
• Bhai Dooj: The last day of Diwali celebrates the love between siblings, honoring the bond between Lord Yama and his sister Yami (or Yamuna). Sisters sometimes place a tilak, or red mark, on their brothers’ foreheads, while brothers give gifts to their sisters.
What does Diwali mean?
Diwali is largely celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, but like Christmas, the holiday transcends religion and is now celebrated by many people outside these traditions.
The significance of the festival varies by community and region.
One of the legends at the heart of Diwali comes from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. During the exile of Prince Rama (an incarnation of the god Vishnu) and his wife Sita (an incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi), Sita is kidnapped by the demon king Ravana. Rama eventually defeats Ravana to save his wife. For some Hindus, Diwali marks the triumphant return of Rama and Sita to their kingdom after fourteen years of exile.
Some Hindus in southern India celebrate the defeat of Lord Krishna of Narakasura, which led to the rescue of 16,000 girls in captivity from the demon. In western India, Diwali commemorates the day Lord Vishnu banishes the demon king Bali from ruling the underworld.
Sikhs commemorate the occasion as “Bandi Chhor Divas” (The Day of Liberation). It marks the day Guru Hargobind, their sixth guru, and 52 Hindu kings were released from wrongful captivity. The Mughal Emperor Jahangir initially only agreed to release Guru Hargobind, but the Guru refused to go without the royals. After Jahangir declared that those who could hold the guru’s cloak could leave, Guru Hargobind tied 52 tassels to his cloak so that any ruler could walk to freedom.
For Jains, Diwali signifies the day when Lord Mahavira, their last spiritual leader, attained physical death and attained enlightenment. Some Buddhists recognize Diwali as the day Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism.
How is Diwali celebrated?
Besides the usual traditions of decorating your house, setting off fireworks and tucking into delicious food, there are several other ways in which people celebrate Diwali.
In some parts of India, people play gambling card games such as teen patti, blackjack and poker. Gambling during the holiday is considered auspicious and stems from a legend in which the god Shiva and his consort Parvati play a game of dice.
Diwali also marks the start of the new Hindu financial year, and many businesses, traders and retailers open new accounts during the holiday.
Naomi Canton contributed to this piece.
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