[135][136] At dusk, lamps placed earlier in the inside and outside of the home are lit up to welcome Lakshmi. Every year the festival falls either in November or in October and that depends on how the cycle of moon is going in that particular year. These lamps symbolize the light of inner spirituality that protects us from the spiritual darkness that threatens to engulf us. What makes Dev Deepawali different from Diwali? The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. [168], Diwali has increasingly attracted cultural exchanges, becoming occasions for politicians and religious leaders worldwide to meet Hindu or Indian origin citizens, diplomatic staff or neighbours. Gambling, especially in the form of card games, is encouraged as a way of ensuring good luck in the coming year and in remembrance of the games of dice played by Shiva and Parvati on Mount Kailasa or similar contests between Radha and Krishna. The Prayer Hymn (Aarti) for the Hindu Diwali Celebration, Hindu Calendar: Days, Months, Years and Epochs, The Real Reason for the Hindu Raksha Bandhan Celebration, History and Significance of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, Reasons to Celebrate Diwali the Festival of Lights, Calendar of Hindu Festivals, Fasts, and Religious Events 20202025, The History of Vasant Panchami, the Birth of Hindu Goddess Saraswati, A Guide to the 6 Seasons of the Hindu Calendar, A Guide to Lohri, The Hindu Winter Bonfire Festival, Evaluating Population Exposure to Environmental Pollutants During Deepavali Fireworks Displays Using Air Quality Measurements of the Safar Network, Whose Diwali Is It? Small business owners give gifts or special bonus payments to their employees between Dhanteras and Lakshmi Pujan. [47][b], The five-day celebration is observed every year in early autumn after the conclusion of the summer harvest. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Diwali is observed on the day of Amavasya or the new moon and marks the start of the Hindu New Year. As an auspicious occasion, many Hindus will make big purchases as it's believed that this will bring good luck. The exact date changes every year because the Hindu calendar is lunar.
When is Diwali 2022: What is Diwali, who celebrates it and how to wish Dev Deepawali or Dev Diwali takes place on the full-moon night of the Hindu month of Kartika. Holi Dates: When is Holi in 2021, 2022 and 2023? Dates for 2020 to 2025." Amavasya is thought of as the darkest night of the year and is holy to Hindus. Every year on the darkest night in the northern hemisphere, millions illuminate their homes and streets to celebrate the victory of good over evil. Diwali is one of the most widely celebrated religious festivals worldwide, it takes place every year between October and November and it commemorates the spiritual victory of light over darkness.
What is Diwali and how do Australian communities celebrate it? Patrice J. Williams is a travel and style content creator, fact-checker and author of the thrift shopping book. Diwali is typically a four- or five-day event, starting two days before the new moon and extending two days afterward. It is a national holiday in India which marks its independence from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947. It is an official holiday in a dozen countries, while the other festive days are regionally observed as either public or optional restricted holidays in India. Deepavali means a row of lights, where 'deep' means light and 'avali' means row. In 2013, about 25 billion (US$310million) of fireworks were sold to merchants for the Diwali season, an equivalent retail value of about 50 billion (US$630million) according to The Times of India. On the third day, Lakshmi Puja, families seek blessings from Lakshmi to ensure their prosperity; light diyas, candles, and fireworks; andvisittemples. [134], On the night of Diwali, rituals across much of India are dedicated to Lakshmi to welcome her into their cleaned homes and bring prosperity and happiness for the coming year. Food is a major focus with families partaking in feasts and sharing mithai. [116] On this day, many Hindus clean their homes and business premises. [81], Many Hindus associate the festival with Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and wife of Vishnu. [20], The festival is an annual homecoming and bonding period not only for families,[17][18] but also for communities and associations, particularly those in urban areas, which will organise activities, events and gatherings.
Diwali, Divali, Deepavali: How you celebrated the festival of lights ( See calendar ). Lasting over five days, the holiday is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs worldwide. [114][43][82] On the evening of Dhanteras, families offer prayers (puja) to Lakshmi and Ganesha, and lay offerings of puffed rice, candy toys, rice cakes and batashas (hollow sugar cakes). "[74][h], Jain inscriptions, such as the 10th-century Saundatti inscription about a donation of oil to Jinendra worship for the Diwali rituals, speak of Dipotsava. This celebration lasts five days and takes place during the Hindu lunisolar month, Kartika. [92][12], Originally a Hindu festival, Diwali has transcended religious lines. When is Navaratri in 2021, 2022, and 2023? What is Diwali? [4] Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Newar Buddhists,[29] although for each faith it marks different historical events and stories, but nonetheless the festival represents the same symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Some celebrate Diwali as a commemoration of the marriage of Lakshmi and Vishnu, while othersobserve it as the birthday of Lakshmi. This festival gets its name from "Deepa" meaning "Light" and "Avali" meaning "Row". In 2022, Diwali falls on October 24th which is a new moon day or Amavasya. The reason Diwali's celebration date is different each year is that each of the Hindu calendarsthere are severalis lunisolar, meaning they take into effect both the movements of the sun and the moon. Diwali is known as the festival of lights in India. Diwali, also spelled Divali, one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, lasting for five days from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. [170] National and civic leaders such as the former Prince Charles have attended Diwali celebrations at prominent Hindu temples in the UK, such as the Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden, using the occasion to highlight contributions of the Hindu community to British society. [124], As the evening approaches, celebrants will wear new clothes or their best outfits, teenage girls and women, in particular, wear saris and jewelry. The Vishwakarma puja day is alternatively observed in other Hindu communities in accordance with the Hindu solar calendar, and this falls in September.
Importance of Diwali Festival and Its Significance | About Diwali It celebrates the sister-brother bond, similar in spirit to Raksha Bandhan but it is the brother that travels to meet the sister and her family. The exact dates change each year but this year, Diwali falls on Monday 24 October. Diwali, like many other Indian holidays, is based on the Indian lunar calendar, so the (internationally used) date of the festival changes each year, but it typically falls between mid-October and early November. As per India's official holiday calendar, Diwali in 2020 will be on Saturday, November 14, coinciding with the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. This year, celebrations began on Saturday, with the "main Diwali " falling today, Monday October 24, which marks the . ", Christopher H. Johnson, Simon Teuscher & David Warren Sabean 2011, India Journal: Tis the Season to be Shopping, Pakistan parliament adopts resolution for Holi, Diwali, Easter holidays, "The Svanti Festival: Victory over Death and the Renewal of the Ritual Cycle in Nepal", "Diwali Festival 2020 India:Date,Story,Celebration,Diwali Special Gift", "Krishna Killed Narakasur - The Narakasur Legend of Diwali - Diwali Legend", Diwali Celebrating the triumph of goodness, "2020 Yama Deepam date and timings for New Delhi, NCT, India", "The 'Yam-deep' or 'Jam ke Deeya' SWAHA International", "Significance of Yama Deepam on Diwali Eve", "Choti Diwali 2020 date: Kali Chaudas significance, when and how to celebrate", "2020 Hanuman Puja date and time during Diwali for New Delhi, NCT, India", If You Missed Diwali in India, Dallas Is the Place to Be, Manchester Dashehra and Diwali Mela plans announced, Festive season to boost India gold buying, India's banks face pre-Diwali cash crunch, Diwali lights up consumer spending, festive spirit beats inflation, Fear Of Toxic Smog Leads India To Limit Diwali Fireworks, Firework Facts: Americans Incinerate $1 Billion in July Fourth Fireworks Every Year, Oneline sales may surpass Rs 30000 crores in festive months, Average family to spend Rs.
Diwali Decor - The Home Depot It is believed that spirits roam around on the night of Kali Chaudas, and Hanuman, who is the deity of strength, power, and protection, is worshipped to seek protection from the spirits. [101] According to J.S. Diwali celebrations burst into life on the third day of the five day festival of lights, which falls between October and November with a changing date each year. According to Pintchman, in some Hindu traditions the women recite tales where sisters protect their brothers from enemies that seek to cause him either bodily or spiritual harm. Bhalla said the dates change each year based on the Hindu lunar calendar, but typically happens in October and November. Diwali, also known as Deepawali, is the Hindu festival of lights. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune and prosperity, is the primary deity worshiped during Diwali. Learn Religions, Sep. 4, 2021, learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1770209. The first day, November 2, is Dhanteras. [23] Some Hindus, Jains and Sikhs will send Diwali greeting cards to family near and far during the festive season, occasionally with boxes of Indian confectionery. [116], On Yama Deepam (also known as Yama Dipadana or Jam ke Diya), Hindus light a diya, ideally made of wheat flour and filled with sesame oil, that faces south in the back of their homes.