Diwali ( enounce dih - vaa - lee ) is one of the most widely celebrated festivals on the Hindu calendar , observed in late October or former November across India and the Indian diaspora by more than 1 billion people .
While it shares some impost and traditions ( lights , gifts , overeating ! ) with holidays likeChristmasandHanukkah , Diwali is a Hindu celebration that date stamp back one thousand of yr . The holiday is also observe by Sikhs and Jains . And in India , Muslims and other non - Hindus may celebrate Diwali , just as non - Christians in the U.S. may lionise Christmas .
Origins of Diwali
The name Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit wordDeepavalimeaning " row of lighted lamps , " which is why Diwali is often called the Hindu " Festival of Lights . " There are two sanctified caption associated with Diwali that celebrate the victory of good over evil , and noesis over damaging qualities like anger , greed and fear .
The first legend , native to Northern India , is the story of Rama , a dear prince who was banish from his kingdom along with his married woman Sita by a jealous stepmother ( it ’s always the stepmother ) .
During his 14 - year exile , Rama battle a devil baron who kidnapped Sita . When the couple finally returned triumphantly to their realm , the people celebrated by get down rows of earthen oil lamp .
The second legend , best known in Southern India , mean Narkasura , the son of Mother Earth , who befriends a demon and becomes evil . After Narkasura invades kingdom after kingdom , the people outcry out to Lord Krishna , who descends to defeat the malign Narkasura and restore ataraxis to Earth .
In summation to lionize these historic victory , Diwali is a time to welcome the goddess Lakshmi into the home . Lakshmi is the goddess of successfulness , teemingness and well - being , and part of Diwali is dedicate to idolize her and receiving her blessing for the coming year .
Marking Diwali on Your Calendar
In the West , Diwali lands on a different engagement each yr because it ’s base on the lunar calendar .
In India , the holiday always falls on the 15th of Kartik , the first calendar month of the Hindu lunar calendar . The date corresponds with the first young moon of the lunar New Year , a normally dark night that ’s filled with light as the world celebrates Diwali .
A Month of Frenzy, Food and Family
While Diwali itself is a five - day celebration — the third day is the flood tide — the prevision and streak - up to Diwali can last a full calendar month . In that manner , it ’s not unlike the month(s)-long countdown to Christmas .
Suhag Shukla , executive director of theHindu American Foundation , grew up in the United States and remembers the mixing of excitement and dread that accompanied every Diwali time of year .
" There ’s a hysteria that conduct up to Diwali , " says Shukla , who as a kid was n’t a fan of the pre - Diwali traditional of cleaning the menage from top to bottom to welcome Lakshmi . And while she adore all of the special Diwali collation and confection , she did n’t understand why the family had to start cooking weeks before the vacation set out .
But Shukla will never forget the pridefulness her parents felt in preserving the culinary and cultural traditions of their home state of Gujarat , or the ardent feelings of family and community when Diwali eventually arrived .
" It was all worth it , " articulate Shukla , " just know that our door would be subject , that we ’d essentially host open houses where friends and mob would visit and eat , and that we would be doing the same at their houses . "
It’s Not ‘Hindu Hanukkah’
Since it ’s called the " Festival of Lights , " it ’s beguiling to describe Diwali as a Hindu variant of Hanukkah , the Judaic holiday that also falls around Christmas . And Shukla admits that even Hindus sometimes expend Hanukkah as a utile starting dot for a conversation about Diwali .
" In some sense , all of these festivals at a very core level are celebrating these cocksure values of righteousness or goodness , " says Shukla .
But the lamp - light aspect of Diwali is n’t really the same as light the menorah on the eight Nox of the Judaic holiday . While traditional oil lamps calleddiyaare lit during Diwali , it ’s done more as a laurel wreath than a religious ritual , and luminousness of all kinds are popular during Diwali , let in strand of colorful holiday lights , ice and cracker .
The central rite of Diwali is theLakshmi Puja , a prayer offering made to the goddess Lakshmi on a small home altar . During the ceremony , grains , sweets , flowers and spices are presented to Lakshmi in return for her blessings of health and wealth .
Since Diwali coincides with a newfangled fiscal year in many parts of India , occupation proprietor will ask the goddess to sign their ledgers for a profitable young year .
Another beloved Diwali tradition is create a colorfully patternedrangolito welcome guest into your house . These creative floor decorations are made with bleached powders or sand , spiciness , beans and lentils , and stove from simple flower motif tomore intricate designs .
Diwali Foods and Gifts
" The two dustup that come to mind to describe Diwali nutrient are ' fried ' and ' crunchy , ' " says Shukla , whose favourite is an empanada - like kickshaw calledghughra , which her mom still ship to her from California .
" Ghughra are these crescent - shaped pastry filled with wampum , coconut , cardamon , saffron , nuts and raisin , " says Shukla . " They ’re deeply - fry and crunchy and just so effective . They are quintessentially Diwali . "
replace small talent while shoot the breeze family and acquaintance is part of the Diwali tradition , but Lakshmi is n’t Santa Claus , insists Shukla , and Amerind children do n’t wake up on Diwali morning to a pile of gifts .
That said , Diwali is the biggest shopping season of the class , with vast holiday sales on clothing and housewares at stores both in India and in bigger Indian American community like Jackson Heights , New York , and San Jose , California .
Diwali in Diaspora
In India , Diwali is mostly observed among confining family and friends , but in the Native American diaspora it ’s develop into a community - broad solemnization of Native American civilisation .
Shukla says that Hindu and Native American American ethnical organization will organize large Diwali festivals to showcase and preserve traditional Indian playing arts .
" I remember my mammy choreographing dances from Gujarat and teaching them to my cousins and I to perform at the local Diwali program , " says Shukla .
While some Diwali cultural festivals are hold at Hindu temples , larger Amerindic residential area in theU.S.and theU.K. now hold metropolis - broad Diwali festivals stark with solid food , loose concert and firework .
