Deepavali in 2018

When is Diwali? : Wednesday, 7 November 2018

Although Diwali is extended to the five-day celebration, the main festival falls roughly eighteen days after Dussehra. It is towards the latter half of the year in the months of October or November that the festival takes place. According to the Hindu calendar of the year 2018, the darkest night is falling on November 7 in the month Kartik, and this day will be marked as Diwali this year.

Five Days of Diwali

The fact that makes this festival so popular and significant is the series of rituals which are not confined to just a single day. People usually begin the preparations weeks before the festival, commencing with the renovation of houses and workplaces, cleaning and painting of buildings, shopping for the decoration of houses, gifts for the loved ones, new clothes and several other things required to enjoy the festival. Houses and workplaces are adorned with flowers, jhaalars, kandils, etc. Rangolis of flowers and dried powdered colours brighten the entrances of several households. The following five days together make this festival complete:

Dhanteras

 

The 5 days merriment starts off with Dhanteras.Buildings are clothed  with rows of element lights and folks set out within the markets to buy gold, silver or a minimum of one new room ware as a part of the Dhanteras ritual. together with the celebration of the birth of god Lakshmi, UN agency is that the god of wealth and prosperity, it's additionally the day of the birth of god Dhanvantari, the keeper of health and healing. Some individuals believe it to be the day once the forces of fine and evil churn the cosmic ocean of milk.

Naraka Chaturdasi

Commonly known as Chhoti Diwali, Naraka Chaturdasi is the second day of the celebration. It is the time for extensive house cleaning, decoration and making floors colourful (Rangoli). Towns and cities witness the beginning of socialisation from this day. The scene of most of India is usually that of people buying gifts, visiting relatives & friends, and exchanging pleasantries

Diwali

The third day is taken into account the most event of the 5 days celebrations. the most rituals and rites are performed on the evening of Diwali with puja offered to deity Lakshmi, Lord Hindu deity, deity Saraswati, and Lord Kuber and different gods, variable as per totally different communities. it's believed that on the night of Diwali, deity of wealth Lakshmi visits the planet. To acknowledge her presence and to ask her blessings to one's house, folks lightweight diyas on their doors, windows, verandahs, and balconies. this is often followed by youngsters and adults wearing their best garments and burning firecrackers.

Padwa

The day after Diwali is observed as Padwa which is taken as an opportunity to celebrate the institution of marriage. The exchange of Diwali gifts takes place between husbands and wives. Some families also follow a ritual, where the brother of a woman brings her home from in-law's home for celebrations. Several regions in the country are known to pay devotion to Lord Krishna on this sacred day by performing Goverdhan Puja.

Bhai Duj or Bhaiya Dooj

The festivities end with the celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters. Often known as Bhai Duj or Bhaiya Dyyuj, this merriment is labelled "Tika" in some regions of India. Similar to Raksha Bandhan but with different rites and rituals, Bhai Duj becomes an occasion when siblings and cousins take time out to spend with each other. Many communities revel by feasting together and with the sisters acknowledging the love and trust of the brother-sister relationship by adorning the foreheads of the brothers with vermilion and dry rice. It signifies their prayers for the well-being of their brothers which are duly returned with the same warmth in the form of gifts by brothers. 

Beliefs on Diwali

Like most Hindu festivals, Diwali, too, is believed to be the celebration of the triumph of good over evil. Owing to its universal beliefs, Diwali is celebrated by Jain and Sikh communities as well. Believers see this day as the one where love takes over despair, light defeats darkness, and knowledge asserts its supremacy over ignorance. As per the three major philosophical schools of Hinduism, i.e., Vedanta, Yoga and Samkhya, the Atman is known to be beyond the physical existence. Expressing the transcendental side of Hinduism, this belief holds importance for the festival of Diwali, as it is understood to be the unveiling of the true knowledge of one's real nature, giving way to spiritual awakening.

History of Diwali

As Diwali is an ancient festival, most of the Puranas and other religious scriptures of Hindus are full of references to it. The Skanda Purana describes divas or lamps as symbols of parts of the Sun, the cosmic benefactor of energy and light to all living beings

Significance of Diwali

dia is a land where societal living and community interactions have had boundless significance in the past, but owing to the urbanisation, race for development and individual successes, interactions among people have seen a considerable decrease. In such a scenario, Diwali has assumed another

level of significance and has become the reason and the binding force for bringing together people of cities and villages alike.

In the spirit of joy, lighting the lamp of self-knowledge and enthusiasm remaining common, the regional practices of celebrations differ according to the resources and beliefs marked by demographic transitinons. 

Why Is Diwali Celebrated?

The religious reasons for the celebration of Diwali vary across Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Hinduism 

Diwali is a celebration of the return of Lord Rama with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman from an exile of fourteen years, according to the epic the Ramayana.

Certain northern regions of India celebrate Diwali as the day of offering devotion to Goddess Lakshmi whereas the Eastern regions emphasise on Kali Puja.

Jainism 

Diwali holds special significance in Jainism. It is the day which commemorates the attainment of Nirvana by Lord Mahavira.

Sikhism

Sikhs indulge in festivities on Diwali as it was this day when Guru Har Gobind Ji freed himself from the imprisonment of Jahangir and returned to the Golden Temple, Amritsar. Called by the name Bandi Chhor Divas, this festival is observed by Sikhs with utmost devotion.

How Diwali is Celebrated in India

The celebration of Diwali extends from the lighting of lamps, decoration of houses, performance of Puja, preparation and consumption of sweets and other regional specialties to the exchange of gifts, the telling of myths and legends to children & burning of firecrackers.

The increasing awareness of environmental degradation has, however, changed the manner in which the celebrations are carried out. Many responsible families in India have been observing pollution-free Diwali for many years where the glee is limited to only good social practices. Not only do schools and education institutes discourage children from the combustion of firecrackers, the media, the government, and parents also play a significant role in spreading awareness about the ill-effects of air pollution caused due to the burning of firecrackers.