What is Diwali?

Question

I've never heard of this before and was curious...

~Dark Aphotic

Answer 1

About Diwali Celebrations:
Diwali is the festival of lights and is celebrated with great enthusiasm by all Indians all over the world. The uniqueness of this festival is its harmony of five varied philosophies, with each day to a special thought or ideal. In a country, which is known for its celebratory fervor, grand Diwali celebrations should not be a matter of surprise for anyone. A typical celebration of Diwali in India includes fresh flowers, exchanging of Diwali gifts, new clothes, meeting new and old friends, sending Diwali cards embellished with beautiful Diwali pictures to loved ones, conveying the best Diwali greetings and offering traditional Diwali sweets to each other.

In fact the Diwali celebrations begins from Dusshera, which comes about twenty days before Diwlai. The splendor of Diwali is so great that even countries like Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia have come up with their own ways of Diwali celebrations.

'Festival of Lights' or Diwali is a festival which has the potential of unifying entire India because of the charisma and splendor surrounding this festival. Diwali has been given the traditional name of 'festival of lights' because of the hundreds and thousands of small oil lamps or diyas lighted by many households. The burning of these diyas are considered to be the lighted pathway of a person's expression of happiness and also a manner of paying obeisance to God, the Supreme power for attainment of health, prosperity, knowledge, financial security and peace in one's life.
About Diwali (Festival of Lights)
'The festival of lights' is celebrated with much enthusiasm and zeal in all of north India. In fact the festival of Diwali is regarded to bring the supernatural joy and brightness in a person's life with the hope of discovering light amidst darkness, achieving happiness in place of ignorance and spreading of love amidst hatred and violence. The tradition of lighting the diyas on Diwali holds much importance as in Hindu mythology the light signifies goodness and vitality. In cities candles and classy neon lights often substitute these diyas.

Customs & Traditions
(5 day celebration...reasons/stories behind it)
Diwali, which leads us into truth and light, is celebrated on a nationwide scale. It symbolises that age-old culture of our country, which teaches us to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge. Diwali, the festival of lights even today in this modern world projects the rich and glorious past of our country and teaches us to uphold the true values of life. It is associated with many customs and traditions. One of the most curious customs, which characterises this festival of Diwali, is the indulgence of gambling, especially on a large scale in North India. It is believed that goddess Parvati played dice with her husband, Lord Shiv on this day and she decreed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night would prosper throughout the ensuring year. This tradition of playing cards- flash and rummy with stakes on this particular day continues even to day.

The first day of five daylong Diwali celebrations is of great importance to the rich community of western India. Houses and business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the night. Believing this day to be auspicious women purchase some gold or silver or at least one or two new utensils.

Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits, devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and Naivedya of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya In villages cattle are adorned and worshipped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Laxmi and therefore they are adorned and worshipped on this day .
On second day there is a traditional practice of taking bath before sunrise with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of gram flour and fragrant powders. In northern India, especially in places like Punjab, Diwali is dedicated to the worship of Lord Rama. While in Bengal, Kali/Durga, the goddess of strength, is worshipped. This reverence is called "Kali Chaudas or Kal Chaturdasi". It is believed that on this day Kali killed the wicked Raktavija. Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, the symbol of auspiciousness and wisdom, is also worshipped in most Hindu homes on this day. Diwali is one of the few Hindu festivals, which is celebrated in every part of the country, even in states like Kerala that has Onam as its main festival. To the Jains, Deepavali has an added significance to the great event of Mahaveera attaining the Eternal Bliss of Nirvaana. The passing into Eternity on the same Amavasya of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, that leonine sanyasin who was one of the first to light the torch of Hindu Renaissance during the last century, and of Swami Ramatirtha who carried the fragrance of the spiritual message of Hindu Dharma to the western world, have brought the national-***-spiritual tradition of Deepavali right up to modern times.

Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North on the fourth day. This day is also observed as Annakoot meaning 'mountain of food'. In temples especially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are given milk bath and dressed in shining attires with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After the prayers and traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious sweets are offered to the deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees approach and take Prasad. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped in every Hindu household. In many Hindu homes it is a custom for the wife to put the red tilak on the forehead of her husband, garland him and do his "Aarathi" with a prayer for his long life. In appreciation of all the tender care that the wife showers on him, the husband gives her a costly gift. This Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion between the wife and husband. On this day newly married daughters with their husbands are invited for special meals and given presents. Diwali celebration is a very happy occasion for all.

Answer 2

Diwali, also called Deepavali is a major Hindu festival that is very significant in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. Known as the "Festival of Lights," it symbolises the victory of good over evil, and lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind. Celebrations focus on lights and lamps, particularly traditional diyas (as illustrated). Fireworks are associated with the festival.

Diwali is the name used by North Indians for the festivals while South Indians call it Deepavali. However, both names literally translated mean the same, which is "row of lights".

Diwali is celebrated for five consecutive days at the end of Hindu month of Ashwayuja. It usually occurs in October/November, and is one of the most popular and eagerly awaited festivals in India. Diwali comes exactly twenty days after Dussehra. Hindus, and Sikhs alike regard it as a celebration of life and use the occasion to strengthen family and social relationships. For Hindus it is one of the most important festivals, and beginning of the Hindu year. Hindus celebrate Diwali to mark the time when Lord Rama achieved victory beating Ravana. It is also a significant festival for the Sikh faith. In modern India, Diwali is now considered to be more of a national festival, and the aesthetic aspect of the festival is enjoyed by most Indians regardless of faith.

Answer 3

Deepawali or Diwali is one of the biggest festival celebrated in India and it is celebrated by the Indian people living in foreign countries.What do you know about diwali ? This is a question which is asked by many people and specially the foreigners who visit India during that time and sometimes it is asked by the people of India only.Before going to know about diwali let's see from where this word has been derived (deep = light and avali = a row i.e., a row of lights).

Answer 4

Diwali in India is celebrated with jubilation and enthusiasm. It is one of the biggest festival of Hindus and is celebrated for five continuous days. Third day is the main day of Diwali and is celebrated as the 'Festival of Lights'. To mark this day people light diyas (lamps) and candles all around their house. During the evening Lakshmi Puja (Pray) is performed to seek divine blessings of Goddess of Wealth. People also exchange Diwali Gifts with all their dear ones and burst fire crackers in the night to express their happiness.

Answer 5

Diwali is and Indian Hindu festival with religious background ..

Answer 6

Diwali’s name comes from the Sanskrit deepavali, "row of lights." According to tradition, Diwali celebrates the joyous homecoming of Lord Rama, hero of the epic poem the Ramayana, after 14 years of exile. When Lord Rama and his wife Sita returned to rule their country, their people lit the way with small oil lamps called diye.

During Diwali, these lamps shine in rows along homes and temples—adorning windowsills, staircases, and parapets—or glow from little boats that float down rivers. Colorful candles are lit alongside diye, while fireworks light up the night sky.

Answer 7

Diwali (or Deepavali, the "festival of lights") is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn (northern hemisphere) every year. Diwali is the biggest and the brightest festival in India. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five-day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali falls between mid-October and mid-November.
Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes and offices. On Diwali night, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family puja (prayers) typically toLakshmi – the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After puja, fireworks follow, then a family feast including mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Diwali also marks a major shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.
Diwali is an important festival for Hindus. The name of festive days as well as the rituals of Diwali vary significantly among Hindus, based on the region of India. In many parts of India,[11] the festivities start with Dhanteras, followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on second day, Diwali on the third day, Diwali Padva dedicated to wife–husband relationship on the fourth day, and festivities end with Bhau-beej dedicated to sister–brother bond on the fifth day. Dhanteras usually falls eighteen days after Dussehra.
On the same night that Hindus celebrate Diwali, Jains celebrate a festival of lights to mark the attainment of moksha byMahavira, and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas. Diwali is an official holiday in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar,Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji and Pakistan.

Answer 8

think of it this way..diwali is like the hindu christmas
eating, family, prayer, festival of lights
in october or november
and has lots of celebrations before teh actualy day adn some after

Answer 9

Diwali is a celebration of lights and god. i celebrate Diwali and i know.

Answer 10

It is the festival of lights celebrated by Hindus throughout the world.It occurs in the month of November Divali is celebrated by hindus coming off of fasting.Hindus normally celebrate by having a ceremonial prayer or puja and lighting deyas at night to celebrate that light triumps over darkness.They also have a huge feast that is vegeterian and the food of the Gods is served Called Parasad.Friends and family are invited over to celebrate and music is played to celebrate including instrumentals on the dholak and dhantal and sitar to celebrate.

Answer 11

Diwali is very beautiful festival of Indians. this festival of lighting, happiness.On this day every body worships the laxmi ji and ganeshji.