Date The date of Diwali is based on the Hindu calendar, which has a solar sidereal years and lunar months. It falls in the month of Kartika according to the Purnimanta calendar (Northern India):
कृष्ण कार्तिक पक्षस्य चर्तुदश्याम निशात्यये (Uttara Purana)
and in Ashwayuja, according to the Amanta calendar. In the Gregorian calendar, it falls in the month of October or November, and always at the new moon. Since the precise moment of the new moon falls on different Gregorian dates depending on geographical location, the date of Dipavali also depends on one's location.
Significance in Hinduism
Lighting fireworks is an essential part of the Diwali celebrations
The festival marks the victory of good over evil.
On the day of Diwali, traditionally, the old and the young, rich and poor, wear new dresses, share sweets and also burn firecrackers. The North Indian business community starts their financial new year on Diwali and new account books are opened on this day.
Hindus find cause to celebrate this festival for different reasons:
In North India, Diwali celebrates the return of the Rama, King of Ayodhya, his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana to Ayodhya from a war in which he killed the demon king Ravana. It is believed that the people lit oil lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness. In North India, the festival is held on the final day of the Vikram calendar. The following day marks the beginning of the North Indian new year, and is called Annakut.
In South India, it commemorates the killing of Narakasura, an evil demon, by Lord Krishna. In South India, Diwali does not coincide with the beginning of a new year as South Indians follow a different calendar, the Shalivahana calendar.
In Bhavishyottara and Bramhavaivarta Purana, Diwali is associated with the Daitya king Bali, who is allowed to return to earth once a year.
The Five days of Diwali
Diwali is celebrated over five days in most of North India as:
First day
The first day of the festival is known as Dhan teras or Dhantrayodashi. Dhan means "wealth" and Trayodashi means "13th day". Thus, as the name implies, this day falls on the 13th day of the first half of the lunar month. On this day, it is believed that Lord Dhanvantari emerged from the waters of the ocean holding the knowledge of the spiritual medicines of Ayurveda, to help mankind fight against sickness, disease and death.
On this day people purchase valuables, light lamps using oil-filled clay cups and worship the Goddess of Wealth. They also worship Yama, the Lord of Death, seeking protection against untimely death. Parents and elders accompany children to the market looking for firecrackers and sweets, if they have not bought some already. Those who have brought them home spread the crackers in the sunlight and allow them to dry, so that when the time comes they perform well.
Second day
Diwali has emerged as one of the most famous Hindu festivals. An integral part of Diwali decorations, Rangoli is a colorful pattern drawn on the floor.
The second day of the festival is known as Naraka Chaturdasi. (Narak means of a new era of Light and Knowledge.
Lord Sri Krishna, supported by his consort Satyabhama and his huge army, is said to have killed the demon Narkasura, in a legendary battle between the gods and demons, and released the world from the darkness of fear and oppression. In the process, He also set free the 16,000 divine energies of the Mother Goddess, held hitherto in possession forcibly by the evil demon.
On this auspicious day, people usually take a ritual bath before sunrise, using traditional herbs and materials, just as Lord Krishna is believed to have done after He returned victorious from the battlefield. They spend the remaining day restfully in the company of friends and family. Some play cards and test their luck. It is also believed that on this day, Lord Vishnu incarnated upon earth as Vamana and set his third step on the head of the demon king Bali to send him down into the nether worlds to free the worlds from his rule and release the goddess Lakshmi from his control.
Third day (actual day of Diwali)
Every year, thousands of Sikhs celebrate Diwali at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India
The actual day of Diwali is celebrated on the third day of the festival, when the moon completely wanes and total darkness sets in the night sky. It is in this darkness that Diwali finds its true expression. On this day people worship Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and express their gratitude for previous favors.
Usually the puja is performed both in the morning and again in the evening when the sun is ready to set or has already set. It is believed that the Goddess would not visit a devotee's house if it is not kept clean and properly lighted, so everyone strives to keep their houses clean, the doors and windows open and all the lights and lamps glowing brightly.
During the worship, devotes make offerings to Lord Vinayaka and Mother Goddess also, in addition to the principal deity, with traditional chants, rituals, purified water, new clothes, fruit and flowers, sweets, light, sandal paste, incense, rice, turmeric and vermillion. Money and valuables are placed before the principal deity during the invocation.
At the end of the worship, prasadam is offered to the family members and visitors. In wealthy households, the assistance of a temple priest is sought to conduct the worship according to the scriptural injunctions. After worshipping the goddess in one's own house, people start making rounds to the nearby temples, and the houses of friends and relations to see how the celebration has been going on and distribute sweets and gifts. Elsewhere, the goddess is worshipped ceremonially in temples, public places, business houses and offices.
As the evening comes, houses and streets are decorated with innumerable lights, lamps and candles. People keep the doors and windows open and all the lights on, expecting the goddess to come inside and take a survey of the things that have been done for her sake. Outside, people gather in the streets and front yards to burn firecrackers, or watch others burning them or keep an eye on the oil lamps. Some habitual card players use the occasion as an opportunity to play cards and gamble their money.
On this day Lord Krishna is believed to have completed His incarnation upon earth and left this world, leaving the pandavas and his kinsmen in utter confusion. According to Jain tradition, Lord Mahavira, the last of the Thirthakaras attained Nirvana on this day only. It is also said that on this day, young Nachiketa of the Kathopanishad received divine and secret knowledge of immortality from Lord Yama, the Lord of Death.
Fourth day
The fourth day is variously known as Padwa, Varshapratipada and Kartika Shudda Padyami. At the behest of Lord Krishna the people of Braj worshipped the hillock Govardhan on this day to save themselves from an impending storm unleashed by the fury of Indra, the Lord of Heaven.
Even now, in northern India, in the region of Braj, people continue the tradition of worshipping Govardhan on this auspicious day. This is sometimes interpreted as an act of invocation to appease the forces of Nature to prevent the occurrence of floods and cyclonic storms, a tradition that is probably rooted in the Vedic times.
In the temples of Mathura and Nathdwara, priests give a special bath to the principal deities on this occasion and decorate them with glittering robes and eye-catching jewellery. They offer many food preparations to Krishna and later distribute it (the prasadam) among the devotees.
In some traditional households, women give aarti to their husbands and receive gifts and blessings in return. Business people open new account books for the new financial year and offer prayers for luck and prosperity.
Fifth day
On the fifth and final day of the festival, which is known as Bhayiduj, Bhayyaduj, Bhaubeej or Bhayitika, brothers and sisters meet to express their love and affection for each other. Sisters put a ceremonial mark, usually with vermillion, on their brothers' foreheads and wish them long lives. According to a legend, the tradition began when Yamuna, the sister of Lord Yama honored her brother with a tilak on his forehead and wished him long life.
In South India, naraka chaturdashii is the main day of celebration, with a lot of firecrackers at dawn, while in North India the main celebration is on Amavasya evening with Lakshmi Puja followed by lighting of oil lamps in and around the house and bursting of crackers.
In England, the days are Dhanteras, Narak Chatrudashi, Lakshmi-Puja, the most important day, Padwa or Varshapratipanda and Bhaiya Dooj or the Teeka Ceremony .
In Trinidad and Tobago, the day of Diwali is a public holiday and celebrations precede the Lakshmi-Puja day for almost two weeks. This event is one of the foremost religious observances for the country.
Diwali in Sikhism
Sikhs also celebrate Diwali as the period during which the foundation stone for the Golden Temple was laid during in 1577. Diwali (also known as Bandi Chhorh Divas) played an important role in the life of Sri Guru Hargobind Ji, the sixth Guru of the Sikhs. When Jahangir, the Mughal emperor, arrested Guru Hargobind and put him in a prison in Gwalior, gloom descended upon Sikhs. But later Jehangir relented and let the Guru go. Accompanied by his followers and to the joy of many Sikhs, the Guru returned to Amritsar and made an appearance before his followers. The occasion was Diwali and it prompted the followers to celebrate the day with joy and happiness.
Emperor Jahangir had imprisoned the sixth Nanak because he was afraid of the Guru's growing following and power. The Sikhs on this day hold a one-day celebration in the Gurdwaras. In the evening, illuminations are done with Deewé (earthen oil lamps) or candles and fireworks. The celebrations are held both in the Gurdwaras and in homes.
The story of Diwali for the Sikhs is a story of the Sikh struggle for freedom. From the time of Guru Nanak (1469 – 1539), the founder of Sikhism, popular seasonal or folk festivals like the harvest festival of Vaisakhi, or ancient festivals like Holi and Diwali, or worship rituals like Aarti, began to take on a new significance for the Guru’s students, the Sikhs. The Guru used these festivals and special days e.g. first day of each lunar month, as symbols or pegs for his teaching themes.
Early in the morning, pilgrims take a holy dip in the sacred tank while reciting Japji Sahib, and thereafter they go to the Golden Temple to make obeisance. They make offerings of various kinds both in cash and kind, such as flowers, candy-drops and parched-rice grains, but mostly the offerings are of karah parshad, which is prepared and sold to the pilgrims by the management. Circumambulation of the tank is considered sacred by the pilgrims.
Diwali in Jainism
Lord Mahavira, the last of the Jain Thirthankaras, attained Nirvana on this day at Pavapuri. According to Jain tradition the chief disciple of Mahavira, Ganadhar Gautam Swami also attained complete knowledge on this very day, thus making Diwali a really special occasion for the Jains to celebrate.
Replica of Pava temple at Pansara. Mahavira attained Nirvana at Pava
Historically, Dipavali is first mentioned in Jain books as the date of the nirvana of Lord Mahavira. The oldest use of the word "Diwali/Dipavali" occurs in Harivamsha-Purana written by Acharya Jinasena, composed in Shaka Samvat 705.
ज्वलत्प्रदीपालिकया पृव्रद्ध्या सुरासुरैः दिपितया प्रदीप्तया तदा स्म पावानगरी समन्ततः प्रदिपिताकाशतला प्रकाशते १९
ततस्तुः लोकः प्रतिवर्षमादरत् प्रसिद्धदीपलिकयात्र भारते समुद्यतः पूजयितुं जिनेश्वरं जिनेन्द्र-निर्वाण विभूति-भक्तिभाक् २०
Thus people in Bharata every year celebrate famous "Dipalikaya", to reverently worship the Jinendra on the occasion of his nirvana on the amavasya of Kartika month.
Significance of lamps: The Kalpasutra by Acharya Bhadrabahu, 3rd cent BC, explains the significance of lights: "गये से भवुज्जोये, दव्वुज्जोयं करिस्समो", with light of knowledge gone, we make light of ordinary matter.
The way Jains celebrate Diwali is different in many respects. There is a note of asceticism in whatever the Jains do, and the celebration of Diwali is not an exception. The Jains celebrate Diwali during the month of Kartik for three days. During this period, among the Shvetambaras, devoted Jains observe fasting and chant the Uttaradhyayan Sutra, which contain the final pravachans of Lord Mahavira, and meditate upon him.
Vira Nirvana Samvat: The Jain year starts with Pratipada following Diwali. Vira Nirvana Samvat 2532 starts with Diwali 2005. The Jain businessmen traditionally started their accounting year from Diwali.
Diwali in other parts of the world
Diwali is celebrated in various parts of the world, in countries such as Britain, The Netherlands, Suriname, Guyana, Fiji, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Srilanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, Africa, and Australia. With more and more Indians now migrating to various parts of the world, the number of countries where Diwali is celebrated has been gradually increasing. In most of these countries Diwali is celebrated on the same lines as described in this article with some minor variations. Some important variations are worth mentioning.
In Malaysia, people call Diwali "Hari Diwali," and celebrate it during the seventh month of the Hindu solar calendar. In many respects it resembles the traditions followed in the Indian subcontinent.
In Nepal, Diwali is known as Tihar and celebrated during the October/November period. Here, though the festival is celebrated for five days, the traditions vary from those followed in India. On the first day, cows are worshipped and given offerings. On the second day, dogs are revered and offered special food. On the third day, celebrations follow the same pattern as in India, with lights and lamps and much social activity. On the fourth day Yama, the Lord of Death, is worshipped and appeased. On the fifth and final day, brothers sisters meet and exchange pleasantries.
Diwali is celebrated in the Caribbean Islands also. Especially in Trinidad and Tobago, Diwali is marked as a special occasion and celebrated with a lot of fanfare. It is observed as a national holiday in this part of the world and some Ministers of the Government also take part in the celebrations publicly.
WISHING NOTHING BUT THE GOODNESS AND KINDNESS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
