The festival isn't celebrated in Kerala though. Diwali Decor. Forget bitterness. The first day, November 2, is Dhanteras. [31][32][33] The main day of the festival of Diwali (the day of Lakshmi Puja) is an official holiday in Fiji,[34] Guyana,[35] India, Malaysia,[a][36] Mauritius, Myanmar,[37] Nepal,[38] Pakistan,[39] Singapore,[40] Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Major temples and homes are decorated with lights, festive foods shared with all, friends and relatives remembered and visited with gifts. [137][138] According to Pintchman, who quotes Raghavan, this ritual may also be linked to the tradition in some communities of paying respect to ancestors. Diwali is celebrated in the Hindu month of Kartik. Diwali is observed as a Gazetted Holiday throughout the nation. The women, in particular, adorn themselves in colourful attire and decorate their hands with henna. People illuminate their homes, temples and offices with diyas, candles and lanterns. It is a time when families come together, friends are reunited and everyone celebrates the triumph of good over evil. [110] Some regions of India start Diwali festivities the day before Dhanteras with Govatsa Dwadashi. [148] On this day the womenfolk of the family gather, perform a puja with prayers for the well being of their brothers, then return to a ritual of feeding their brothers with their hands and receiving gifts. The Lacshmipuja dipanwita, remarked Jones, was a "great festival at night, in honour of Lakshmi, with illuminations on trees and houses".[68][f]. "[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. * [20][45] The term is derived from the Sanskrit words dpa, "lamp, light, lantern, candle, that which glows, shines, illuminates or knowledge"[46] and vali, "a row, range, continuous line, series". (2021, September 4). Dhan-trayodashi or Dhan teras: Dhan means "wealth" and Trayodashi means "thirteenth day." Thus, as the name . Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs, built a well in Goindwal with eighty-four steps and invited Sikhs to bathe in its sacred waters on Baisakhi and Diwali as a form of community bonding. [92][12], Originally a Hindu festival, Diwali has transcended religious lines. Diwali is generally a time for visiting, exchanging gifts, wearing new clothes, feasting, feeding the poor, and setting off fireworks (though such displays have been restricted to limit noise and other environmental pollution). While Diwali spans five days, the holiday reaches its peak on day three this year, falling on Oct. 24, 2022. [107] According to some observers, this traditional celebration by Newar Buddhists in Nepal, through the worship of Lakshmi and Vishnu during Diwali, is not syncretism but rather a reflection of the freedom within Mahayana Buddhist tradition to worship any deity for their worldly betterment.[29]. The names and events of the individual days of Diwali are as follows: The first day, known as Dhanteras, is dedicated to cleaning homes and purchasing small items of gold. [114], According to Tracy Pintchman, Dhanteras is a symbol of annual renewal, cleansing and an auspicious beginning for the next year. For example, the Singaporean government, in association with the Hindu Endowment Board of Singapore, organises many cultural events during Diwali every year. Diwali (English: /dwli/), Dewali, Divali,[3] or Deepavali (IAST: dpval), also known as the Festival of Lights,[4][5] related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious[6] celebration in Indian religions. Kartik overlaps with October and November. [75][76] Another early 13th-century Sanskrit stone inscription, written in the Devanagari script, has been found in the north end of a mosque pillar in Jalore, Rajasthan evidently built using materials from a demolished Jain temple. 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. The main festival is on Sunday, but festivities begin on Friday, a day called Dhanteras. The darkest night is the apex of the celebration and coincides with the second half of October or early November in the Gregorian calendar. It's a celebration that takes place 15 days after Diwali - the Hindu festival of lights. It is intended to signify a brother's duty to protect his sister as well as sisters blessing their brothers. Every year Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains around the world celebrate the Indian Festival of Lights called Diwali. Dates for 2020 to 2025." 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? The date of the five day festival changes every year in accordance with the Hindu and lunar calendar. "Deepawali" and "Dipawali" redirect here. This year, Diwali begins on Monday 24 October on the Gregorian calendar. The word "avali" means row and "deepa . The Prime Minister Jawaharlal . Diwali, which is celebrated on different dates each year as it follows the lunar calendar, will begin on October 24 this year and last for five days. [143] In Gujarat, Annakut is the first day of the new year and celebrated through the purchase of essentials, or sabras (literally, "good things in life"), such as salt, offering prayers to Krishna and visiting temples. Learn Religions, Oct. 12, 2021, learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1539426. [48] The festivities begin two days before amvasy, on Dhanteras, and extend two days after, until the second (or 17th) day of the month of Kartik. Subhadra welcomes him with a tilaka on his forehead. [43] In western states such as Gujarat, and certain northern Hindu communities of India, the festival of Diwali signifies the start of a new year. It is observed on the 15th day of the 8th month (the month of Kartik) in India's calendar. It coincides with the day of Kali Chaudas. Diwali is usually celebrated twenty days after the Vijayadashami festival, with Dhanteras, or the regional equivalent, marking the first day of the festival when celebrants prepare by cleaning their homes and making decorations on the floor, such as rangolis. [156] It is traditionally a time when households purchase new clothing, home refurbishments, gifts, gold, jewelry,[157][158] and other large purchases particularly as the festival is dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and such purchases are considered auspicious. In 2022, Diwali will begin on October 22, and end on October 26. However, in South India, the festival is observed as the defeat of Narakasura. Related: 25 Diwali Facts When is Diwali 2022? When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? [24], Originally a Hindu festival, Diwali is now also celebrated by other faiths. Food is a major focus with families partaking in feasts and sharing mithai. This year, Diwali or Deepavali will take place on October 24. They celebrate by lighting lamps, decorating temples and monasteries, and worshipping the Buddha. [47][b], The five-day celebration is observed every year in early autumn after the conclusion of the summer harvest. [154][155][91], Diwali marks a major shopping period in India,[31] and is comparable to the Christmas period in terms of consumer purchases and economic activity. During the festival, Hindus, Jains and Sikhs illuminate their homes, temples and workspaces with diyas (oil lamps), candles and lanterns[16] Hindus, in particular, have a ritual oil bath at dawn on each day of the festival. In 2019, Diwali started on October 25 as reported by The Fact. The lighting of the lamps celebrates the light of Mahaviras holy knowledge. Diwali festivities usually last for 5 days. The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. [116] The term Dhan for this day also alludes to the Ayurvedic icon Dhanvantari, the god of health and healing, who is believed to have emerged from the "churning of cosmic ocean" on the same day as Lakshmi. Holi Dates: When is Holi in 2021, 2022 and 2023? [95] According to the Jain tradition, this practice of lighting lamps first began on the day of Mahavira's nirvana in 527 BCE,[j] when 18 kings who had gathered for Mahavira's final teachings issued a proclamation that lamps be lit in remembrance of the "great light, Mahavira". [91] The telling of these myths are reminiscent of the Hindu belief that good ultimately triumphs over evil. 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. Illustrative Islamic records, states Stephen Blake, include those of 16th-century Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi who wrote, "during Diwali. the ignorant ones amongst Muslims, particularly women, perform the ceremonies they celebrate it like their own Id and send presents to their daughters and sisters,. they attach much importance and weight to this season [of Diwali]. People will wear their best clothes and pray to Lakshmi as lamps are lit outside homes and temples. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The final day is Bhai Dooj and similarly, celebrates the bonds between brothers and sisters. The festivals and . [124], As the evening approaches, celebrants will wear new clothes or their best outfits, teenage girls and women, in particular, wear saris and jewelry. For planning purposes, here are the dates for the main celebrations for Diwali for the next few years: The date to celebrate Diwali generally changes by a week to 10 days every year. Das, Subhamoy. Naraka Chaturdashi is the second day of the festival on November 3. Sikhs historically referred to this festival as Diwali. [167] In 2020, the INDF ETF was launched to mark the start of Diwali. [143][147], The day celebrates the sibling bond between brother and sister. Diwali is an important festival in Jainism. In 2022, the five days of Diwali begin on October 22, with the most important festival date taking place on October 24. The day of Diwali itself falls on November 4.. [58] The Venetian merchant and traveler Niccol de' Conti visited India in the early 15th-century and wrote in his memoir, "on another of these festivals they fix up within their temples, and on the outside of the roofs, an innumerable number of oil lamps which are kept burning day and night" and that the families would gather, "clothe themselves in new garments", sing, dance and feast. Historical records appear inconsistent about the name of the lunar month in which Diwali is observed. Subhamoy Das is the co-author of "Applied Hinduism: Ancient Wisdom for Today's World." For the Jain community, the festival commemorates the enlightenment and liberation (moksha) of Mahavira, the most recent of the Jain Tirthankaras, from the cycle of life and death (samsara). It is in fact the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksh, the dark forthnight of the month of Kartik. These purchases are often gold and silver items or new utensils. Diwali usually falls in October or November. Learn Religions. One of the earliest reports on this variation was by Wilson in 1847. [183] These invisible yet harmful particles affect the environment and in turn, put people's health at stake. Diwali falls on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Kartik, which is the new moon day of the first month of the lunar year. While the dates vary annually based on the Hindu lunar calendar, Diwali usually occurs in October or November. [23] Another aspect of the festival is remembering the ancestors. Some Hindu communities mark the last day as Bhai Dooj or the regional equivalent, which is dedicated to the bond between sister and brother,[111] while other Hindu and Sikh craftsmen communities mark this day as Vishwakarma Puja and observe it by performing maintenance in their work spaces and offering prayers. The Diwali festival dates back to ancient times in India. Diwali along with Holi for Hindus, and Easter for Christians, was adopted as public holiday resolution by Pakistan's parliament in 2016, giving the local governments and public institutions the right to declare Holi as a holiday and grant leave for its minority communities, for the first time. The common celebratory practices are known as the festival of light, however there are minor differences from state to state in India. For other uses, see, Indoor Diwali decorations in front of an altar, Line of lamps at Bedara Kannappa temple, Mysore, Diyas lit for Diwali at Golden Temple, Punjab, Decorative lights for Diwali on a house in Haryana. Diwali is also an important festival in Jainism. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The name of this festival is derived from 'avali,' which means 'row,' and 'deepa,' meaning "clay lamps." Diwali Dates Detailed Information [101] According to J.S. [128][95], The day after Diwali is the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartik. Thus, people worship Hanuman the day before Diwali's main day. Diwali (Deepavali) Nov 27, 2023: Guru Nanak's Birthday: Dec 25, 2023: Christmas Day: Which are the other holidays in India? On the eve of his first visit to India as President of the United States, Obama released an official statement sharing his best wishes with "those celebrating Diwali". Although most important for Hindus, the festival is also observed by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. Furthermore, it is a celebration of the day Rama returned to his kingdom in Ayodhya with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana after defeating the demon Ravana. On this day, sisters will give gifts to their brothers and invite them to enjoy a meal. [112][113], Rituals and preparations for Diwali begin days or weeks in advance, typically after the festival of Dusshera that precedes Diwali by about 20 days. However, the focus of the Jain Diwali remains the dedication to Mahavira. Homes are decorated, and floors inside and out are covered with rangoli, consisting of elaborate designs made of colouredrice, sand, or flower petals.
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