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", Some inscriptions mention the festival of lights in Prakrit terms such as, The Sanskrit inscription is in the Grantha script. [115][144][145], The agricultural symbolism is also observed on this day by many Hindus as Annakut, literally "mountain of food". The five days are as follows:. Diwali is celebrated in the Hindu month of Kartik. Some suggest he lived in the 5th-century BCE contemporaneously with the Buddha. They also spend time with family and friends to enjoy good food and fireworks. The fifth day, called Bhai Dooj, Bhai Tika, or Bhai Bij, celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. In 2023, Diwali will be celebrated on 19th October (Sunday). "When Is Diwali in 2021, 2022 and 2023?" [135][136] At dusk, lamps placed earlier in the inside and outside of the home are lit up to welcome Lakshmi. This year, the biggest day of festivities (Lakshmi Puja) will take place on November 4, 2021. 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. The Diwali-related inscription is the 4th inscription and it includes the year Vikrama Era 1268 (c. 1211 CE). This means that Diwali kicks off on Oct. 22 and is celebrated through Oct. 26,. People will wear their best clothes and pray to Lakshmi as lamps are lit outside homes and temples. This year's festival begins on Oct. 22. [19] Diwali is also marked with fireworks and the decoration of floors with rangoli designs, and other parts of the house with jhalars. Important Read: Tips to Celebrate Diwali in 2021 History and Significance of Diwali This is believed to please Yama, the god of death, and to ward off untimely death. Earlier in the season's fortnight, some welcome the souls of their ancestors to join the family for the festivities with the Mahalaya. In Sri Lanka and. [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. [117][118][119], The third day is the height of the festival,[126] and coincides with the last day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin or Kartik. The second day is Naraka Chaturdashi. Grewal, a scholar of Sikhism and Sikh history, Diwali in the Sikh tradition is older than the sixth Guru Hargobind legend. As the term "Festival of Lights" suggests, the celebration involves millions of lights illuminated from rooftops, doorways, and windows in thousands of temples and buildings all over the countries where the festival is observed. At such events a variety of music, dance and arts performances, food, crafts, and cultural celebrations are featured. [56][57] Rajasekhara referred to Deepavali as Dipamalika in his 9th-century Kavyamimamsa, wherein he mentions the tradition of homes being whitewashed and oil lamps decorated homes, streets and markets in the night. Some Muslims joined the Hindu community in celebrating Diwali in the Mughal era. The festivities vary between different regions. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. According to Truschke, Aurangzeb did so because he found the festivals "distasteful" and also from "concerns with public safety" lurking in the background. 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. [49] (According to Indologist Constance Jones, this night ends the lunar month of Ashwin and starts the month of Kartik[50] but see this note[c] and Amanta and Purnima systems.) On the third day, Lakshmi Puja, families seek blessings from Lakshmi to ensure their prosperity; light diyas, candles, and fireworks; andvisittemples. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Among Hindus the most widespread custom is the lighting of diyas (small earthenware lamps filled with oil) on the night of the new moon to invite the presence of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. One tradition starts a new month from the new moon, while the other starts it from the full moon. 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. The day of Diwali itself falls on November 4.. The fourth day, known as GoverdhanPuja,Balipratipada,or Annakut, commemorating Krishnas defeat of Indra, the king of the gods, is also the first day of Karttika and the start of the new year in the Vikrama (Hindu) calendar. The Lacshmipuja dipanwita, remarked Jones, was a "great festival at night, in honour of Lakshmi, with illuminations on trees and houses".[68][f]. Diwali is the Festival of Lights, observed by Indian communities around the world. What is Diwali? Every autumn, the observance sees millions of people attend. The lighting of the lamps celebrates the light of Mahaviras holy knowledge. 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. 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). The dates of Diwali change every year as it dependent on the moon cycle. [12] According to Goldstein, these are then shaped into various forms, such as laddus, barfis, halwa, kachoris, shrikhand, and sandesh, rolled and stuffed delicacies, such as karanji, shankarpali, maladu, susiyam, pottukadalai. [128][95], The day after Diwali is the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartik. The Catholic dicastery Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, founded as Secretariat for non-Christians by Pope Paul VI, began sending official greetings and the Pope's message to the Hindus on Diwali in the mid-1990s. More Topics Here is everything you need to know about the festival and how it is celebrated. [184], During Diwali, the levels of suspended particulate matter increase. The second day, called NarakaChaturdashiorChotiDiwali, commemorates Krishnas destruction of Narakasura; prayers are also offered for the souls of ancestors. The Diwali night's lights and firecrackers, in this interpretation, represent a celebratory and symbolic farewell to the departed ancestral souls. Communities prepare over one hundred dishes from a variety of ingredients, which is then dedicated to Krishna before being shared among the community. In 2022, Diwali is on October 24. But when Diwali occurs in the calendar changes every year. However, the focus of the Jain Diwali remains the dedication to Mahavira. Also known as the 'festival of lights', the celebration usually lasts for five days. A solar calendar (like the Gregorian one) has an average of 365.24 days. It's celebrated across five days with the day of Diwali observed on the new moon or Amavasya. The day also marks a major shopping day to purchase new utensils, home equipment, jewelry, firecrackers, and other items. The main festival day falls on a different date each autumn, timed to the Hindu lunar calendar, but it . [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. Residents of Amritsar lit lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion. This year's date of celebration starts November 14, 2020. . Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In some communities, husbands will give gifts to their wives, while in others parents with newly married children invite them and their spouses to enjoy a meal and receive gifts. In 2022, the five days of Diwali begin on October 22, with the most important festival date taking place on October 24. Updates? The festival of Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom after defeating Ravana. According to the ancient calendar, Diwali is observed on Amavasya (or new moon) the 15th day of the month of Kartik, every year. It is a national holiday in India which marks its independence from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947. [43], The puja and rituals in the Bengali Hindu community focus on Kali, the goddess of war, instead of Lakshmi. Dhan-trayodashi or Dhan teras: Dhan means "wealth" and Trayodashi means "thirteenth day." Thus, as the name . On that day sisters pray for the success and well-being of their brothers. The common celebratory practices are known as the festival of light, however there are minor differences from state to state in India. Each day of the festival has special significance. [23][140] According to one tradition, the day is associated with the story of Bali's defeat at the hands of Vishnu. Next year (2024) November 1 (Friday) Last year (2022) October 24 (Monday) This holiday gets its name from the rows of clay lamps that Indians light just outside their houses. [120] The term "chhoti" means little, while "Naraka" means hell and "Chaturdashi" means "fourteenth". [56], Diwali was also described by numerous travelers from outside India. Firecrackers also cause light pollution. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. The Diwali festival actually runs for five days, with the main event happening on the third day in most places in India. iStock.com/triloks What Do People Do? This day marks the beginning of deepawali celebrations. Diwali is celebrated every year in either October or November, based on the lunar cycle. Iff a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa. The festival climax is on the third day and is called the main Diwali. Diwali falls in either October or November each year, depending on the cycle of the moon. It's the holiday season and Diwali is around the corner. It began sending official greetings and message to Muslims in 1967 on. [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. Hit ctrl+D to bookmark this page, and share this page with your friends. [79], Hindus of eastern India associate the festival with the Goddess Kali, who symbolises the victory of good over evil. . As an auspicious occasion, many Hindus will make big purchases as it's believed that this will bring good luck. [165] About two-thirds of Indian households, according to the ASSOCHAM forecast, would spend between 5,000 (US$63) and 10,000 (US$130) to celebrate Diwali in 2017. In 2022, Diwali will begin on October 22, and end on October 26. Lasting over five days, the holiday is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs worldwide. These two festivals likely developed in tandem over their recent histories, states McDermott. It . [43][82] Along with Lakshmi, who is representative of Vaishnavism, Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Parvati and Shiva of Shaivism tradition, is remembered as one who symbolises ethical beginnings and the remover of obstacles. [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. [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). [124] Many visit their favourite Hindu temple. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning row of lights. The festival generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Cook, Sharell. During the festival, diyas are lit and placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses and set adrift on rivers and streams. Diwali is also known as Deepavali, Dipavali, Dewali, Deepawali, or the Festival of Lights. The one festival in India that is celebrated above the caste & religion that is Diwali. A 2017 estimate states 50,000 tons (100million pounds) of fireworks are exploded annually in India over the Diwali festival. [121] It is also celebrated as Roop Chaudas in some North Indian households, where women bathe before sunrise, while lighting a Diya (lamp) in the bath area, they believe it helps enhance their beauty it is a fun ritual that young girls enjoy as part of festivities. [186], (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority, (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies. In some parts of India, the day after Lakshmi Puja is marked with the Govardhan Puja and Balipratipada (Padwa). Choti Diwali is the major shopping day for festive, Annakut community meals (left), Krishna holding, A sister ritually feeding her brother on Bhai Duj-Diwali, Dhanteras, Dhanatrayodashi, Yama Deepam (Day 1), Naraka Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas, Chhoti Diwali, Hanuman Puja, Roop Chaudas, Yama Deepam (Day 2), Annakut, Balipratipada (Padwa), Govardhan Puja (Day 4), Bhai Duj, Bhau-Beej, Vishwakarma Puja (Day 5). 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. Hence Deepavali has been . [86][87], Trade and merchant families and others also offer prayers to Saraswati, who embodies music, literature and learning and Kubera, who symbolises book-keeping, treasury and wealth management. Some diyas may also be set adrift on streams and river and the evening is marked with fireworks. 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. This year, Diwali falls at the start of November beginning with Dhanteras on November 2. They install diyas, small earthen oil-filled lamps that they light up for the next five days, near Lakshmi and Ganesha iconography. Find out all about the history, traditions and significance of Diwali in this blogpost. [171][172] Since 2009, Diwali has been celebrated every year at 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British Prime Minister. The festivals and . It coincides with the day of Kali Chaudas. The word "Deepavali" means "a row of lights" in Sanskrit, and its origins were likely as an ancient harvest festival. [9][10][11] It is a post-harvest festival celebrating the bounty following the arrival of the monsoon in the subcontinent.[12]. Answer (1 of 6): Hindus do not follow date system. 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). This year, celebrations began on Saturday, with the "main Diwali " falling today, Monday October 24, which marks the . The festival typically lasts for four to five days and coincides with the new moon on the Hindu lunisolar calendar,. [129] At dusk, family members gather for the Lakshmi Pujan,[129] although prayers will also be offered to other deities, such as Ganesha, Saraswati, Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Hanuman, or Kubera. It is a day in which people rid themselves of evil and everything negative. 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. Diwali/Deepavali is a public holiday. Every year on the darkest night in the northern hemisphere, millions illuminate their homes and streets to celebrate the victory of good over evil. In some months, a day needs to be dropped to correlate with a shorter lunar cycle. The 5 days of Diwali [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". "Deepawali" and "Dipawali" redirect here. Unlike some other festivals, the Hindus typically do not fast during the five-day long Diwali including Lakshmi Pujan, rather they feast and share the bounties of the season at their workplaces, community centres, temples, and homes. The dates of Diwali change every year, though the five day festival generally falls between late October and early November. This year, Diwali begins on Monday 24 October on the Gregorian calendar. [80], Per another popular tradition, in the Dvapara Yuga period, Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, killed the demon Narakasura, who was the evil king of Pragjyotishapura, near present-day Assam, and released 16000 girls held captive by Narakasura. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. A Hindu devotee lights oil lamps at a temple during . Diwali celebrates Rama's eventual defeat of the evil spirit Ravana, and his triumphant return to his home. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [83][84][85] Hindus from the Braj region in northern India, parts of Assam, as well as southern Tamil and Telugu communities view Diwali as the day the god Krishna overcame and destroyed the evil demon king Narakasura, in yet another symbolic victory of knowledge and good over ignorance and evil. Das, Subhamoy. Diwali takes places every year, either in October or November, depending on the position of the Moon. For Jains, it is a time to celebrate Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, and the moment reached a state of enlightenment. [48][127], The youngest members in the family visit their elders, such as grandparents and other senior members of the community, on this day. [68] In his paper on The Lunar Year of the Hindus, Jones, then based in Bengal, noted four of the five days of Diwali in the autumn months of Aswina-Cartica [sic] as the following: Bhutachaturdasi Yamaterpanam (2nd day), Lacshmipuja dipanwita (the day of Diwali), Dyuta pratipat Belipuja (4th day), and Bhratri dwitiya (5th day). [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. [102] The festival of Diwali, according to Ray Colledge, highlights three events in Sikh history: the founding of the city of Amritsar in 1577, the release of Guru Hargobind from the Mughal prison, and the day of Bhai Mani Singh's martyrdom in 1738 as a result of his failure to pay a fine for trying to celebrate Diwali and thereafter refusing to convert to Islam. Diwali festivities include a celebration of sights, sounds, arts and flavours. The second day is devoted to Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Edward Reddcliff Residents of Amritsar lit lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion. Learn Religions, Sep. 4, 2021, learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1770209. 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. The Hindu lunar calendar has two parts: dark (Krishna paksha, or "waning moon" in Sanskrit) and light (hukla paksha, or "waxing moon"), and the new moon (amavasya) always occurs in between the parts, typically on the 15th. Diwali symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". The Jain Diwali celebrated in many parts of India has similar practices to the Hindu Diwali, such as the lighting of lamps and the offering of prayers to Lakshmi. The day before Diwali is remembered as Naraka Chaturdasi, the day on which Narakasura was killed by Krishna. For some Hindus, it is a day to pray for the peace to the manes, or defiled souls of one's ancestors and light their way for their journeys in the cyclic afterlife. Diwali usually falls in October or November. This festive day is interpreted by some to symbolise Yama's sister Yamuna welcoming Yama with a tilaka, while others interpret it as the arrival of Krishna at his sister Subhadra's place after defeating Narakasura.