"Diwali Diwali, Deepavali or Dipavali is the Hindu festival of lights, which is celebrated every autumn in the northern hemisphere (spring in southern hemisphere). One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolises the spiritual ""victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance."" Light is a metaphor for knowledge and consciousness. During the celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly illuminated. The preparations, and rituals, for the festival typically last five days, with the climax occurring on the third day coinciding with the darkest night of the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika. In the"
"good. In Hinduism, Diwali — the festival of lights — is a celebration of the victory of light over darkness. A mantra in Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (1.3.28) urges God to 'from darkness, lead us unto Light'. The Rig Veda includes nearly two dozen hymns to the dawn and its goddess, Ushas. And Buddhist scripture speaks of numerous buddhas of light, including a Buddha of Boundless Light, a Buddha of Unimpeded Light, and Buddhas of Unopposed Light, of Pure Light, of Incomparable Light, and of Unceasing Light. Various local religious concepts exist: Light is the core concept in Iranian mysticism. The main"
"Diwali ‘the festival of lights’ is a multi-day festival that celebrates a spiritual victory. The celebration uses lights to ‘light up’ the darkest moment of the calendar year. Depending on one’s geographical location the date of this annual festival is different. All structures are lit up during the festival including, homes, temples, shops etc. The festival usually lasts for five days, the third day being the climax of the event, partakers wearing their finest clothes. Revelers also partake in feasts, share lollies, gifts, and display fireworks. The act of the lighting the lamp is aimed to be symbolic as one"
"is the festival of lights celebrated by followers of dharmic religions. In its traditional and simplest form, the diya is made from baked clay or terracotta and holds oil or ghee that is lit via a cotton wick. Traditional diyas have now evolved into a form wherein waxes are used as replacements for oils. Lamps are lit in Sikhism on Diwali, the festival of light, as well as being lit everyday by followers of Dharmic religions. Candles are used in the religious ceremonies of many faiths. Candles are a traditional part of Buddhist ritual observances. Along with incense and flowers,"
"Diwali, which marks the final liberation of Mahavira, the Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release of Guru Hargobind from a Mughal Empire prison, while Newar Buddhists, unlike other Buddhists, celebrate Diwali by worshiping Lakshmi. The festival of Diwali is an official holiday in Fiji, Guyana, India, Malaysia (except Sarawak), Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. ""Diwali"" () or ""Divali"" is from the Sanskrit ""dīpāvali"" meaning ""row or series of lights"". The conjugated term is derived from the Sanskrit words ""dīpa"", ""lamp, light, lantern, candle, that which glows, shines, illuminates or knowledge"" and"
"of lights. It is celebrated in autumn, typically October or November every year. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and hope over despair. Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes and offices. On Diwali night, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfits, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, and participate in family ""puja"" (prayers) typically to Lakshmi. After ""puja"", fireworks follow, then a family feast including ""mithai"" (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends."
"the goddess of abundance and autumn harvest. Lakshmi's biggest festival, however, is ""Diwali"" (or ""Deepavali""; the ""Festival of Lights""), a major Hindu holiday celebrated across India and in Nepal as Tihar. In North India, Diwali marks the beginning of the traditional New Year, and is held on the night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Kartik (usually October or November). Shaktas (and many non-Shaktas) celebrate it as another Lakshmi Puja, placing small oil lamps outside their homes and praying for the goddess's blessings. Diwali coincides with the celebration of Kali Puja, popular in Bengal, and some Shakta"
"religions of India. Hindus are the largest in number, accounting for 87.45% of the population. Muslims (10.08%), Sikhs (1.27%), Jains (1%) and Sindhi's constitute the remaining of the population. The main religious festivals are Deepawali, Holi, Gangaur, Teej, Gogaji, Makar Sankranti and Janmashtami, as the main religion is Hinduism. Rajasthan's desert festival is celebrated with great zest and zeal. This festival is held once a year during winters. People of the desert dance and sing ballads of valor, romance and tragedy. There are fairs with snake charmers, puppeteers, acrobats and folk performers. Camels play a prominent role in this festival."
"there was nothing, neither the sky, nor the sun, the moon and the earth. Then the dawn of light manifested as the golden egg: it started the days of Brahman. The dawns, Usha, the sister of the sun, brings hope and she woke the mortal beings up. Light is the essential nature of the soul and it plays a crucial role in the Hindu culture: people pray to invoke the god of lights, Savitr, to illuminate the world and their minds, and to free them from ignorance and delusion. The most important celebration of light in Hinduism is the Diwali:"
"many religions. Fire-worship still has its place in at least two of the great religions of the world. The Parsis adore fire as the visible expression of Ahura Mazda, the eternal principle of light and righteousness; the Brahmans worship it as divine and omniscient. The Hindu festival of Diwali (Diyawali, from diya, light), when temples and houses are illuminated with countless lamps, is held every November to celebrate Lakhshmi, the goddess of prosperity. In the ritual of the Jewish temple fire and light played a conspicuous part. In the Holy of Holies was a cloud of light (""shekinali""), symbolical of"
"to death. Diya (lamp) A Diya, diyo, deya, divaa, deepa, deepam, or deepak is an oil lamp used in the Indian subcontinent, notably India and Nepal, usually made from clay, with a cotton wick dipped in ghee or vegetable oils. Diyas are native to the Indian subcontinent often used in Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Zoroastrian religious festivals such as Diwali or the Kushti ceremony. Clay diyas are often used temporarily as lighting for special occasions, while diyas made of brass are permanent fixtures in homes and temples. Diwali: The lighting of diyas forms a part of celebrations and rituals of"
"the God of wisdom and remover of all obstacles according to Hindu mythology. Diwali is the most jovial of all Hindu festivals. Celebrated in October/November it marks the victory of righteousness over evil in the Hindu mythology. Traditionally, clay oil lamps were placed in front of every home turning the island into a fairyland of flickering lights; these have now been replaced mostly by decorative electric lights. The exact date of this festival is subject to confirmation as its celebration depends on the visibility of the moon. Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated to mark the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month"
"Diya (lamp) A Diya, diyo, deya, divaa, deepa, deepam, or deepak is an oil lamp used in the Indian subcontinent, notably India and Nepal, usually made from clay, with a cotton wick dipped in ghee or vegetable oils. Diyas are native to the Indian subcontinent often used in Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Zoroastrian religious festivals such as Diwali or the Kushti ceremony. Clay diyas are often used temporarily as lighting for special occasions, while diyas made of brass are permanent fixtures in homes and temples. Diwali: The lighting of diyas forms a part of celebrations and rituals of the festival."
"Dev Deepawali (Varanasi) The Dev Deepavali (""the Diwali of the Gods"" or ""Festival of Lights of the Gods"") is the festival of Kartik Poornima celebrated in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It falls on the full moon of the Hindu month of Kartika (November - December) and takes place fifteen days after Diwali. The steps of all the ghats on the riverfront of the Ganges River, from Ravidas Ghat at the southern end to Rajghat, are lit with more than a million earthen lamps (diyas) in honour of Ganga, the Ganges, and its presiding goddess. The gods are believed to descend"
"Tihar (festival) Tihar (), also known as Deepawali and Yamapanchak or Swanti (), is a five-day-long Hindu festival celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, notably in Nepal and the Indian states of Assam and Sikkim including in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. It is the festival of lights, as ""diyas"" are lit inside and outside the houses to make it illuminate at night. It is popularly known as ""Swanti"" among the Newars and as ""Deepawali"" among Madhesis. Set in the Vikram Samvat calendar, the festival begins with Kaag Tihar in Trayodashi of Kartik Krishna Paksha and ends with Bhai Tika in"
"Sun, where the fire keeper is reminded of the heat that creates life, the fire in beings, the heat in the womb behind the cycle of life. Two major festivals in Hinduism, namely Holi (festival of colors) and Diwali (festival of lights) incorporate Agni in their ritual grammar, as a symbol of divine energy. During the autumn celebrations of Diwali, traditional small fire lamps called ""Diya"" are included to mark the festivities. For Holi, Hindus burn bonfires as Holika, on the night before the spring festival. The bonfire marks god Agni, and in rural India mothers carry their babies around"
"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. Diwali is a five-day festival, the height of which is celebrated on the third day coinciding with the darkest night of the lunar month. During the festival, Hindus, Jains and Sikhs illuminate their homes, temples and work spaces with diyas, candles and lanterns Hindus, in particular, have a ritual oil bath at dawn on each day of the festival."
"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 is not a festival for most Buddhists, with the exception of the Newar people of Nepal who revere various deities in the Vajrayana Buddhism and celebrate Diwali by offering prayers to Lakshmi. Newar Buddhists in Nepalese valleys also celebrate the Diwali festival over five days, in much the same way, and on the same days, as the Nepalese Hindu Diwali-Tihar festival. According to"
"day in 527 BCE. It falls on the last day of Ashvina month of Jain calendar. It is also the last day of Indian calendar. It comes during October or November. It is believed that the eighteen kings of northern India, followers of Mahavira, decided to light lamps (known as ""dipa"") symbolizing knowledge of Mahavira. So it is known as Deepavali or Diwali. Jains are forbidden to burst crackers.On Diwali morning, Nirvan Ladoo is offered after praying to Lord Mahavira in all Jain temples all across the world. Gautam Gandhar Swami, the chief disciple of Lord Mahavira achieved omniscience (Kevala"
"love for Radha. The image of Krishna is bathed at midnight, placed in a cradle and worshiped. Deepavali or Diwali is a festival celebrated throughout India with different regional significances. Deepavali is known as the festival of lights. Deepavali celebrates the homecoming of Rama after defeating Ravana. Dussera or Dasara festival lasts for ten days. During this festival, Ram Leela or the story of Sri Rama is enacted with the burning of the effigy of Ravana. The festival is also known as Navarathri and is celebrated over nine days. The tenth day is known as Vijaya Dasami. Holi is celebrated"
"every year include Deepavali (festival of lights), Thaipusam (Lord Murugan festival), Pongal (harvest festival) and Navaratri (Durga festival). Deepavali is the primary Hindu festival in Malaysia. The Malaysian Hindus traditionally hold open houses over Deepavali, where people of different ethnic groups and religions are welcomed in Hindu homes to share the festival of light as well as taste Indian food and sweets. Deepavali and Thaipusam are Public holidays in all states on Malaysia, except Sarawak. According to the 2010 Census, there were 1,777,694 people self-identifying as Hindus (6.27% of the population). Of the Hindus, 1,644,072 were Indian, 111,329 were non-citizens,"
"They celebrate individual and community life of Hindus without distinction of caste, gender or class. In the Hindu calendar dates are usually prescribed according to the lunar calendar. In vedic timekeeping, a tithi is a lunar day. Among major festivals are Diwali, Gudi Padwa, Pongal, Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Raksha Bhandan, Krishna Janmashtami, Dasara or Dussehra, which may refer to the ten days of Sharada Navratri or the tenth day, Vijayadashami. Others include Onam, Shivaratri, Ugadi, Rathayatra of Lord Jaganatha at Puri in Ilam, Nepal and many other places in Nepal and many other countries Among major Islamic religious festivals are"
"Sunni and Ahmadiyya. Until the 1970s, Hindu and Muslim holidays were not officially recognized. A number of non-Christian religious days are now public holidays. Hindu holidays include Holi, the spring festival, and Divali, the festival of lights. Muslim holidays include Id al Fitr, the end of Ramadan, the sacred month of fasting; Id al Adha, the feast of sacrifice; and Youman Nabi, the birthday of Muhammad. The dates for these holidays vary. An East Indian heritage day is celebrated and on May 5, an Amerindian festival is held on Republic Day, in February. The Bahá'í Faith is a relatively recent"
"Gregorian calendar, the festival generally falls between mid-October and mid-November. In the lead-up to Diwali, celebrants will prepare by cleaning, renovating, and decorating their homes and workplaces. During the climax, revellers adorn themselves in their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with ""diyas"" (oil lamps or candles), offer ""puja"" (worship) to Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where ""mithai"" (sweets) and gifts are shared. Diwali is also a major cultural event for the Hindu and Jain diaspora from the Indian subcontinent. The five-day festival originated in the Indian"
"lets the light of God inside them. Diwali is a significant event in Hindu but also other cultures and religions. Diwali is celebrated annually across the globe and is one of the most known Vedic festivals. The festival takes places in places such as ISKCON temples, Times Square, the White House and Disney world. In 2016 former US president Barrack Obama made a public address about the festival Diwali. San Antonio, Texas is one of the largest city-sponsored celebrations, with over 15000 participating in the event. The event is only one night but provides food, fireworks, entertainment. This celebration has"
"ensure that the women are coping well. Most of Maher's children and women are Hindus, but there are Muslims, Buddhists and Christians too. Maher's emphasis on interfaith is essential in the everyday life, but also at special occasions. In November 2012, Maher celebrated the Hindu festival of light - Diwali - in a special way: people from different religions recited verses and prayed together. In order to promote peace, harmony and brotherhood, Maher celebrates all the major festivals of the different religions in India. Maher also takes steps to follow the idea of sustainability: In March 2013 the organization decided"
"focus, although in the eastern and north eastern states the two are synonymous, but on Diwali the focus is on the puja dedicated to Kali. These two festivals likely developed in tandem over their recent histories, states McDermott. Textual evidence suggests that Bengali Hindus worshipped Lakshmi before the colonial era, and that the Kali puja is a more recent phenomenon. Contemporary Bengali celebrations mirror those found elsewhere, with teenage boys playing with fireworks and the sharing of festive food with family, but with the Shakti goddess Kali as the focus. On the night of Diwali, rituals across much of India"
"of the celebration involves women swinging on swings hung on tree branches. 5). Dussera: Dussehra festival is celebrated in an extravagant manner in Karnataka or to be more precise in Mysore. Locally the festival celebration is called Nadahabba. 6). Deepavali: Deepavali or Diwali is the festival of diyas or deepas (lights). This five-day festival marks the Demon Narkasura killed by Lord Krishna, has been celebrated across the country and all over the world by Hindus. It is also called Kaumudi Deepam or Dipalika. The Festival Of Lights is the most celebrated Hindu festival. 7). Ganesha Chaturthi: Ganesha Chaturthi or Ganesha"
"cultural diversity and military might. Religious festivals include Diwali (the festival of light), Maha Shivaratri, Teej, Durga Puja, Mahavir Jayanti, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Holi, Lohri, Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Raksha Bandhan, and Christmas. The Qutub Festival is a cultural event during which performances of musicians and dancers from all over India are showcased at night, with the Qutub Minar as the chosen backdrop of the event. Other events such as Kite Flying Festival, International Mango Festival and ""Vasant Panchami"" (the Spring Festival) are held every year in Delhi. In 2007, the Japanese Buddhist organisation Nipponzan Myohoji decided to build a"
"mela"" (arts and crafts fair), sculpture displays, and martial arts. On the final day (Poornima), which coincides with the traditional Dev Deepawali (light festival of the Gods), the ghats on the Ganga River glitter with more than a million lit-up earthen lamps. Dev Deepawali (Varanasi) The Dev Deepavali (""the Diwali of the Gods"" or ""Festival of Lights of the Gods"") is the festival of Kartik Poornima celebrated in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It falls on the full moon of the Hindu month of Kartika (November - December) and takes place fifteen days after Diwali. The steps of all the ghats"
"Dhanteras Dhanteras (Sanskrit: धनतेरस), also known as Dhanatrayodashi () or Dhanvantari Trayodashi, is the first day that marks the festival of Diwali in India and the festival of Tihar in Nepal. Dhanteras is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the Vikram Samvat Hindu calendar month of Karthik. Dhanvantari, who is also worshipped on the occasion of Dhanteras, is the god of Ayurveda who imparted the wisdom of Ayurveda for the betterment of mankind and to help rid it of the suffering of disease. The Indian ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and"
"spears, and hooks pierced into their bodies. The ""Chittirai Paruvam"" festival and festivals to the Tamil deity Mariamman are usually accompanied by a fire-walking ceremony. Deepavali, popularly known as the 'Festival of Lights', is another major Hindu festival which is celebrated by all Hindu communities. Tamils celebrate Pongal which is a harvest festival usually held from 13–16 January. A similar festival known as Makar Sankranti is celebrated by most other Indian communities while the Punjabis call their harvest festival Lohri. The Malayalees celebrate Vishu, the Malayalee New Year which usually falls in the month of April or the month of"
"family time. Shopkeepers and small operations perform ""puja"" rituals in their office premises. Unlike some other festivals, the Hindu typically do not fast on Diwali, rather they feast and share the bounties of the season at their workplaces, community centres, temples and homes. As the evening approaches, celebrants will wear new clothes or their best outfits, teenage girls and women in particular wear saris and jewelry. At dusk, family members gather for the Lakshmi puja, although prayers will also be offered to other deities, such as Ganesha, Saraswati, Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Hanuman, or Kubera. The lamps from the puja ceremony"