The favourite time of the year for most Indians is here - Diwali! The much-awaited festive season that starts every year with Navratri is in full swing, and with Diwali just 15 days away, our excitement is getting out of control.
Here we have everything you might want to know about the Festival of Lights, why it is celebrated, the story behind the five-day celebrations and what date it is falling on this year.
DIWALI 2018: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
Diwali this year is on November 7, 2018, that is a Wednesday. The five-day-long celebrations will start November 5 onwards with Dhanteras. Chhoti Diwali/Deepawali as many people call it, is on November 6, followed by Diwali. It will be followed by Govardhan Puja on November 8 and the festival will finally conclude with Bhai Dooj on November 9, 2018.
WHY IS DIWALI CELEBRATED?
Diwali is a word derived from a Sanskrit word 'Dipavali', which means a row or series of lights. While Diwali is primarily a Hindu festival, people from a lot of other religions too celebrate the festival with equal enthusiasm. The significance of the festival varies from religion to religion, but the excitement and the festive spirit remain the same throughout.
Diwali is celebrated 20 days after Dusshera, the day Lord Ram killed Ravana and saved Sita from him. It marks the day Lord Ram, accompanied by his wife Sita and brother Lakshman came back to his city Ayodhya after his victory over Ravana. It is said that the entire city was lit up with lamps as people celebrated their king's return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and his win over Ravana, which also symbolises the victory of good over evil.
While this is the significance of Diwali for Hindus; Jains, Sikhs and a certain sect of Buddhists observe their own festivals alongside Diwali. The Jains celebrate Diwali as a commemoration of the final liberation of Lord Mahavira. The Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Diwas, which coincides with Diwali and marks the occasion of Guru Hargobind Singh being released from a Mughal prison. The Newar Buddhists celebrate Diwali by worshipping Goddess Lakshmi.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DHANTERAS
There are many different legends and folklore about the significance of Dhanteras, the day that marks the beginning of the five-day Diwali celebrations, but the gist of all of them is similar. Dhanteras is celebrated to welcome good luck, prosperity and wellbeing into one's life. The act of buying jewellery and new utensils is said to protect one against bad luck and is said to bring in prosperity and wealth. People worship Goddess Lakshmi on this day.
DIWALI CELEBRATIONS IN INDIA
Usually Diwali celebrations start with people cleaning their houses and workplaces thoroughly and decorating them with lamps and lights, flowers and rangolis. People exchange gifts with their near and dear ones and then get together in the evening for Lakshmi Puja. Binging on yummy food and sweets is an important part of the festivities, and all of these things put together make Diwali one of the most important and loved festivals in India.