What is Diwali? | SBS News 23 Oct 2014 - 11:19am What is Diwali? Indian people light oil lamps during the Deep Utsav or Light festival at the historical Gauhar Mahal palace, ahead of the Diwali festival in Bhopal, India, (EPA/SANJEEV GUPTA) More and more Australians are embracing Diwali -- the Hindi festival of light. It's a time for reflecting and cleansing, and can involve spring cleaning, shopping for gold and celebrating the victory of light over darkness. Source: 0 Lighting candles and lamps, giving gifts of jewellery - it's all about pumping the soul with spiritual prosperity. But you don't need to be twirling sparklers in your best silks to join in, just head to Victoria's Parliament, Federation Square or even Sydney's Martin Place to see the shimmering lights set up to welcome Lord Rama back from exile. Originating in southeast Asia, Diwali is celebrated around the world. "The light we generate from Diya: it's for enlightening of self.

It's removing all the darkness which is very significant, not just in your home but in your hearts as well." The words Diwali or Deepavali mean 'a row or series of lights' and festivities include decorating public spaces and homes with lights, fireworks displays, cultural activities and the sharing of food and gifts. The lights have both mythical and spiritual meaning. Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs celebrate the spiritual victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. A Hindu legend traces the first time the lights were used to a story about Lord Rama who is a descendant to the Hindu God Vishnu. Rama returns to his kingdom in the ancient Indian city of Ayodhaya after 14 years in exile and wins a battle against a demon king. The story says people lit up their houses to celebrate his victory. An Indian artist gives finishing touches to the idols of Goddess Kali, who will be worshipped during Diwali festival. (EPA/DIVYAKANT SOLANKI) An Indian artist gives finishing touches to the idols of Goddess Kali, who will be worshipped during Diwali festival.

(EPA/DIVYAKANT SOLANKI) While there are different stories about the festival's origins, even Australians who aren't religious still celebrate Diwali, according to Professor Ian Woolford from La Trobe University. "In Melbourne ... there are many, many people who are not Indian, and who are not Hindu, who celebrate Diwali now. Perhaps to learn about Indian culture, they see it as a wonderful expression of Indian culture and perhaps they also think that the message of Diwali is for all people." In Nepal the festival is also called Tihar and, along with worshipping Hindu gods and goddesses, animals such as crows, dogs and cows are honoured with gifts of food and adorned with garlands. Melbourne Diwali Festival organiser Arun Sharma explains the ritual of using lights, also known as Diyas, can be an opportunity to quietly meditate, concentrate on this light and illuminate your soul. "Diwali does have a massive significance behind it. It's not just for fun, just come and enjoy and walk away with nothing. The light we generate from Diya: it's for enlightening of self.

It's removing all the darkness which is very significant, not just in your home but in your hearts as well. So it got a good value, good message behind." Lights has often been used to represent the struggle to overcome our internal issues. "It's significant of the victory of truth over evil, over lies. Victory of lights over darkness. This is one thing that it signifies and of course perhaps this is become so popular even among non-Indians. This is the message that all of us can appreciate," says Professor Woolford. Lights and firecracker displays can also be thought of as an expression of gratitude to the heavens for the attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace and prosperity. In Nepal the festival is also called Tihar and, along with worshipping Hindu gods and goddesses, animals such as crows, dogs and cows are honoured with gifts of food and adorned with garlands. What to do during Diwali Day 1: Some traditional activities on the first day of Diwali include spring-cleaning your house, shopping for gold or silver and offering sweets and prayers to the Gods.

Day 2: On the second day, some decorate their homes with clay lamps and create rangolis, which are decorative patterns of coloured powder or sand arranged on the floor. Day 3: The third day of Diwali is considered the festival's main day, when people gather to worship the Goddess Lakshmi to attain wealth and prosperity. Day 4: The next day, "Nutan Varsh", is celebrated as New Year's Day in the West Indian state of Gujarat. Friends and family exchange gifts and sweets and they also create Annakut: mountains of food arranged in large tiers or shapes representing India's Mount Govardhan. Last year the New South Wales Government sampled food from a four-tier Annakut which was constructed by Gujarati community volunteers. Day 5: The fifth and the last day of Diwali is called Bhaiduj, where brothers bless their sisters and provide gifts of love. Much like the story of Father Christmas, some Hindus believe that the goddess of happiness and good fortune, Lakshmi, visits the earth on this last day. Astrologer Pandit Indu Prakash says if the goddess finds a house that is pure and clean and bright, she will fulfil the wishes of her devotees.

"By adopting certain activities or certain things or doing some certain things it develops an attitude in you which can provide wealth in your life so it is an indication. It's just, it's just a guideline to the society that by doing these things you can invite goddess Lakshmi in your life, which will shower you wealth and prosperity." Click here for more information on Diwali and to go in the running to win a trip to India. In pictures: Diwali - the Hindu festival of light Diwali 2013: The Hindu Festival of Lights Explained Diwali 2013: The Hindu Festival of Lights Explained By Samantha Payne November 2, 2013 17:22 GMT A girl sits among diyas, or oil lamps, in her yard during Diwali celebrations in Felicity, central Trinidad, 13 November 2012. (Reuters) Diwali is the biggest and most famous of the Hindu festivals. The word Diwali means 'rows of lighted lamps', and Diwali is known as the 'festival of lights' because houses, shops and public places are decorated with small earthenware oil lamps called diyas.

Diwali is celebrated in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Nepal, and by Hindu communities all over the world, including Britain. In Britain, as in India, the festival is a time for: spring-cleaning the home exchanging gifts (often sweets and dried fruits) and preparing festive meals decorating buildings with fancy lights huge firework displays There are several events are associated with Diwali : Lord Rama came back to Ayodhaya after 14 years of vanvas (exile) In Dwapara Yuga (the third of four ages in Hindu scriptures) Lord Krishna's wife Satyabhama killed Asura Narakasura The Pandavas returned home after 12 years of exile Lord Mahavira attained Nirvana on this day The most important event associated with Diwali is the sixth Guru of Sikhs, Shri Guru Hargobind Singh Ji, being freed from imprisonment under Emperor Jahangir People hold candles during a gathering to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in the Indian city of Ahmedabad (Reuters/Amit Dave) Celebrating five days of Diwali Diwali is celebrated over five days of prayer, song and worship.

First Day: Dhanteras For many Hindus this five-day festival honours Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Dhanteras is the day for worshipping Lakshmi. Hindus pray for protection from untimely death and offer a lighted diya and prasad (sweets) to Lakshmi. All houses and buildings are renovated and decorated and entrances are made colourful with motifs of rangoli designs and flowers. Hindus buy gold or silver articles and sing devotional songs in praise of Lakshmi. At sunset all Hindus bathe and in the evening "Lakshmi-Puja" is performed and tiny diyas of clay are lit to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. Second Day: Choti Diwali On Choti Diwali, Hindus bathe then massage their bodies with oils to relieve tiredness and rest so the remainder of Diwali can be celebrated with vigour and devotion. Songs are sung but fewer lights are lit. A Surinamese girl dressed as Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth.

(Reuters) Third Day: Lakshmi Puju on Diwali Lakshmi Puja on Diwali is the main celebration of Diwali and is celebrated at the full moon on the 15th day of the month. On this day Lakshmi and the broom are worshipped, the latter because it has helped to keep the house clean. Drums and bells are played in the temples, lamps are lit and firecrackers are burst. People join with family and a priest to worship goddess Lakshmi to receive blessings of wealth and prosperity, and celebrate the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Fourth Day: Padwa and Govardhan Puju On Padwa and Govardhan Puju the main focus is Govardhan Mountain, a mountain is said to have saved its inhabitants from incessant rains. This symbolises the importance of nature in a Hindu's life. Different types of food are cooked and newly wedded couples are invited for special meals and receive gifts. Fifth Day: Bhai Duj Bhai Duj is the fifth and last day of Diwali and its main focus is brothers. According to religious scriptures, Yamaraj (God of death) visited his sister's house.

His sister Yami welcomed him by putting an auspicious mark on his forehead for his welfare. He was so pleased with his sister's reception that he proclaimed that on this day every year, if a sister puts a tilak on her brother's forehead, no one can harm him. Hindus gather to offer prayers on the banks of the Ganges during Dev Deepawali in the Indian city of Varanasi, 28 November 2012. (Reuters) A Tamil devotee lights oil lamps during a religious ceremony to celebrate Diwali in Colombo, 2 November 2013. Share Stay up to date with our daily newsletter YOU MIGHT LIKE THISSponsored Content by Taboola IBT Video Diwali: One festival, many customs - CNN.com Diwali: One festival, many customs By Naomi Canton, for CNN Updated 12:43 PM ET, Sat November 17, 2012 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: Celebrating Diwali – Diwali is a five-day Hindu festival, known as the Festival of Lights, that takes place this year from November 11-15.

It is a contraction of the word Deepavali, which means row of lights in Sanskrit. Hide Caption 1 of 12 Photos: A cause for celebration – Diwali is not only celebrated by Hindus, it is also an occasion for celebration by Jains and Sikhs (pictured). The Sikhs celebrate Diwali to mark the return of the Sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji, who was freed from imprisonment and also managed to release 52 political prisoners at the same time from Gwalior fort by Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1619. Hide Caption 2 of 12 Photos: Lighting the way – These small clay oil lamps are known as diyas. Hindus in India adorn their homes with lots of these lamps during Diwali to commemorate the Hindu legend of the return of Lord Rama from his 14 year-long exile after murdering the ten-headed demon Ravana. Hide Caption 3 of 12 Photos: Festival of lights – According to Hindu mythology everyone lit oil lamps along the road to welcome Lord Rama home.

Diwali has come to symbolize the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and even the illumination of the soul and attainment of higher knowledge. Hide Caption 4 of 12 Photos: Colorful rangolis – Brightly-colored rangolis are drawn on the ground at the entrances to homes and offices during Diwali, using the fingers and colored flour, rice power, rice grains, flower petals, powders and chalk. They are usually geometric symmetrical designs and symbols of nature such as peacocks, butterflies, animals and flowers. Hide Caption 5 of 12 Photos: Dung drawings – In villages the rangolis are drawn on top of fresh cow dung. The purpose of the rangoli is to welcome guests and to encourage the Hindu goddess Lakshmi inside. Hide Caption 6 of 12 Photos: Enter Laskshmi – Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual. She is the household goddess of most Hindu families, and a favorite of women. Both the oil lamps and the rangolis are used to try and encourage Lakshmi to come inside the home, and of course to welcome guests.

Hide Caption 7 of 12 Photos: Blessing of the account books – Diwali marks the start of the new Hindu financial year. During this time many businesses open new accounts books and on the third day of the festival businessmen in some states worship their accounts books and work laptops. This ritual is called "Chopda Pujan", and blesssings are sought from Hindu deities Lakshmi and Ganesha. Hide Caption 8 of 12 Photos: Cracking festival – During Diwali it is common to set off fire crackers as the noise is believed to herald the defeat of evil and catch the attention of the gods. Hide Caption 9 of 12 Photos: Sweet feast – Traditional sweets, known as mithai, are in heavy demand during Diwali. Among them include Karanji, a pastry stuffed with dried fruit, semolina and coconut, Laddoos (ball-shaped sweets), Puran Poli ( sweet stuffed flatbread), poori (fried bread), Gulab Jamun (sticky ball-shaped dessert), kheer (Indian rice pudding) and Jalebi (deep-fried chewy dessert).

Hide Caption 10 of 12 Photos: Golden fortune – Indian women buy gold jewelry on Dhanteras - the first day of the five-day Diwali Festival in the belief it will bring them good fortune. Hide Caption 11 of 12 Photos: Village life – In the tribal villages of Jharkhand in the east of India the Festival of Lights is associated with the harvest of rice in November and the celebration of cattle which have brought food to the village according to Bulu Imam, environmentalist and author, who lives in Jharkhand. Women also paint beautiful art murals on the walls of their mud homes at this time and the cows are decorated.

Hide Caption 12 of 12 Story highlights Diwali is a Hindu festival that takes place between mid October and mid November each year Lights are lit to commemorate the legend of the return of the Hindu god Rama to his kingdom after 14 years in exile Hindus also believe Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, enters their homes during this period In Indian villages Diwali is more a celebration of the end of the harvest and many months of hard work Diwali is one of the most important Hindu festivals in India -- but the colorful customs and meanings associated with it can vary dramatically depending on whether you reside in the countryside or the city. On the streets of densely populated conurbations like Mumbai, Diwali -- popularly known as the Festival of Lights -- is often a raucous affair, marked by a cacophony of firecrackers on the streets and a flourish of ceremonial gambling in the home. The wealthier urban dwellers splurge on gold, jewelry, clothes and expensive gifts such as electronics, which they buy for themselves and their loved ones.

In the quiet tribal villages, such as those dotted around the vast state of Maharashtra in the west of India, the celebration is generally a more simple affair, defined by humble offerings and wholesome feasts. Few, if any, firecrackers are burst and many follow their own particular tribal traditions. Most villagers try and buy new clothes, but few can afford gold, jewelry or elaborate gifts. Are you an expert on Diwali? Take the quiz Common traditions There are some Diwali rituals common across most of the subcontinent. In both city and countryside, small clay oil lamps (or diyas) are placed at the thresholds of homes, shops and offices throughout the five-day affair to celebrate the legend of the return of the Hindu god, Lord Rama, to his kingdom after 14 years in exile. According to mythology his people lit diyas to welcome his return. Hindus in cities and villages also believe that during Diwali the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, will visit their homes if they are lit, clean and beautifully decorated. Windows and doors are left open to let the goddess in and homes are cleaned from top to bottom. Brightly-colored rangolis are drawn using fingers on the ground at the entrances to homes and offices.

These geometric designs are usually symbols of nature and their purpose is to welcome guests and to encourage Lakshmi inside. Gambling card games are often played in both villages and cities, as it is generally considered auspicious to gamble during Diwali. This springs from a legend that a Hindu deity played a dice game with his consort on the fourth day of Diwali and she won. Some Hindus believe Lakshmi can be invoked through gambling. Place your bets Gambling parties are an especially popular pastime during Diwali in Mumbai. The parties typically start at 10pm in bungalows and farmhouses and continue until 5am. "Bets can start as small as Rs 20 (40 cents) and as big as Rs 5,000 ($93). In a night people can lose up to Rs 50,000 ($930)," explains Vikram Mehta, 30, founder of Red Om Entertainment in Mumbai. "People don't mind losing -- it's part of the ambiance and people are having fun.

Everyone dresses up, everyone is on holiday, everyone is inviting each other to their homes, there is a lot of warmth." A range of games are played, the most popular being Teen Patti (three-card brag) with Blackjack and poker also favorites. "People sit on mattresses on the floor. There are rooms where the kids play for fun and then other rooms with the higher stakes," Mehta says. The houses are decorated with diyas, people dress in traditional Indian dress, servants wander round with platters of kebabs, biryani and Indian sweets, he adds. Across the country Indian sweets -- known as mithai -- are exchanged and people have large family gatherings in their homes. More from CNN Celebrates: Your frighteningly fun Halloween shots New year, new accounts Diwali also marks the start of the new Hindu financial year and many businessmen, traders and shopkeepers, open new accounts books. Businessmen in certain states, particularly Gujarat, worship their accounts books. There are various other rituals celebrated in towns and villages on each of the five days. For example, on the last day of Diwali in many parts of India, a sister cooks for her brother and he bestows gifts on her in celebration of the love between siblings.

"The modern world is changing and festivals are the only way to keep our culture and traditions alive. For us Diwali is the victory of good over evil, the returning of good back into our lives and starting a new year with a positive approach and forgetting all the bad that has happened," says 45-year-old Mumbai housewife Heena Damle. "You have tables ready with sweets to offer if someone comes to your home," adds her nephew Pranav Damle, 29. iReport: Diwali's lights and colors Lighting up the night Typically fire crackers are set off from dusk, often throughout the night. The noise is believed to herald the defeat of evil and catch the attention of the gods. 19-year-old rag picker Santosh, whose family migrated from a Maharashtrian village to Mumbai, says: "People in the villages have limited means, so it's not very spectacular. In Mumbai, the rich celebrate it with a lot of pomp. We witness huge fireworks and can get such fancy crackers." Some, however, are concerned that the original traditions of Diwali are being lost in cities.

Inir Pinheiro is managing director of Grassroutes , which promotes responsible village tourism, and will take 60 urban Indians on trips to three tribal villages in Maharashtra this Diwali. He says many of them want to "see an unadulterated way of celebrating Diwali, a less noisy place and to reconnect with the people." "I think people in the cities are beginning to realize there is a lot of show in the way it is celebrated and a large materialistic aspect to it. People want to see if there is something more to the celebration," Pinheiro says. Hopes for the harvest In the 500-person village of Purushwadi in Maharashtra, one of Pinheiro's selected rural destinations, families of five typically live in two-bedroomed stone houses. Dutta Kondar, 27, a farmer from the Mahadeo Koli tribe, says that Diwali is a "celebration of the end of the harvest of kharif (rain-fed crops)." Since harvest is when the villagers make money, villagers carry out Lakshmi puja (prayer ritual) on their assets at Diwali, giving thanks and praying for a good harvest to come.

"We conduct a small puja of our cattle, grain and cash," Kondar says. Family members hold a plate of offerings to the gods and chant prayers while rotating the plate around the assets, he explains. "To make sure our bodies are prepared for the winter, we eat lots of oil and sweets," Kondar adds. "Whenever anyone enters their house, the villagers offer each other sweets. But they don't buy presents for each other - money being a big constraint," Pinheiro says. Village values Like many rural villages across India, Purushwadi has its own particular rituals. Pinheiro says one of the most popular is the local singing ceremony . "This is when children go round the houses holding hand-made lanterns made of sticks and twigs and they sing Marathi songs for the benefit of residents of the homes. In return they are given oil and grain," Pinheiro says. "The difference in how Diwali is celebrated in the villages is that it is done with more simplicity. It is the rare occasion when they buy clothes and eat nice food and they are celebrating after many months of hard work.. In the cities it is less community-oriented, noisier and more about spending money and showing off," Pinheiro adds.

Praying for fortune - Hindu families worship Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali - YouTube Praying for fortune - Hindu families worship Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Nov 21, 2012 Fatehpur Beri is one of the Villages in South West Delhi District in Delhi State. It is 13.1 km far from its District Main City South Delhi Campus and is 17 km far from its State Main City Delhi . Diwali (also spelled Devali in certain regions) or Deepavali, popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a five day festival which starts on Dhanteras (Dhantrayodashi), celebrated on thirteenth lunar day of Krishna paksha (dark fortnight) of the Hindu calendar month Ashwin and ends on Bhaubeej, celebrated on second lunar day of Shukla paksha (bright fortnight) of the Hindu calendar month Kartik.

In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali falls between mid-October and mid-November. Diwali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji. For Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes. For Jains, Diwali marks the attainment of moksha or nirvana by Mahavira in 527 BCE. Arya Samajists, celebrate this day as Death Anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati. They also celebrate this day as Shardiya Nav-Shasyeshti. The name "Diwali" or "Divali" is a contraction of "Deepavali", which translates into "row of lamps". Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. These lamps are kept on during the night and one's house is cleaned, both done in order to make the goddess Lakshmi feel welcome. Firecrackers are burst because it is believed that it drives away evil spirits.

During Diwali, all the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends. The festival starts with Dhanteras on which most Indian business communities begin their financial year. The second day of the festival is called the Naraka Chaturdasi. Amavasya, the third day of Diwali, marks the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The fourth day of Diwali is known as Kartika Shudda Padyami. The fifth day is referred to as Yama Dvitiya (also called Bhai Dooj), and on this day sisters invite their brothers to their homes. Source - Wikipedia This footage is part of the professionally-shot broadcast stock footage archive of Wilderness Films India Ltd., the largest collection of imagery from South Asia. The Wilderness Films India collection comprises of thousands of hours of high quality broadcast imagery, mostly shot on HDCAM 1080i High Definition, HDV and XDCAM. Write to us for licensing this footage on a broadcast format, for use in your production! We are happy to be commissioned to film for you or else provide you with broadcast crewing and production solutions across South Asia.

We pride ourselves in bringing the best of India and South Asia to the world... Reach us at rupindang (at) gmail.com and admin@wildfilmsindia.com Category Mumbai Diwali 2017 in Mumbai, India | Everfest Location Unconfirmed Throughout Mumbai| Mumbai, India An ancient celebration with deeply spiritual roots, this Festival of Lights (Diwali) is technically a tradition with a religious foundation, but all that are willing to share in the season of abundance are welcome. Thousands of oil lamps, fireworks, lavish feasts, fragrant flowers and colored sand in the form of lotus blossoms adorn India in this annual homecoming that is Diwali. Lighting the Path Home at Diwali Rama needs to return home, and Hindus everywhere pitch in to help, lighting his path with thousands of oil lamps during the five-day Festival of Lights , or Diwali , to honor the Hindu god. To Westerners this feels like India’s version of Christmas, a time of celebration and unbridled joy. Like Christmas, it’s technically a religious festival, but it’s open to anyone willing to share in the season of abundance.

Beyond the visual feast of colors and lights, Diwali has a deeper spiritual meaning, the awakening of one’s inner light. The roots of Diwali date back thousands of years to the “ Ramayana ,” an ancient Hindu text whose title means, “Story of Rama.” During his exile, Rama battled all manner of demons in dark forests and resisted the temptations of Ravana’s sister (Ravana being the ten-headed demon king enemy of Rama.) With the assistance of the powerful monkey god, Hanuman, Rama led an army of monkeys to defeat Ravana and rescue his princess Sita. Hindus celebrate his journey home by lighting his path; the non-observant choose to celebrate this as an annual time of abundance. Fortune, Food & Fireworks Diwali takes place in the fall and marks the end of the harvest season in India and also the beginning of a new financial year. Life in India revolves around the agrarian calendar, and at this time of year people pay debts and make prayers for good crops as seeds are soon to be sown in the coming new year.

Lakshmi, the goddess of beauty, wealth and prosperity, plays a central role in the celebration because her worship might bring good fortune to the pious. While Diwali is mostly a Hindu festival, Sikhs and Jains also observe this holiday, making the celebrations truly for almost everyone in India. The first two days of Diwali are mostly focused on preparation, the first devoted to clearing out the home, the second spent decorating it. The third day is the epic centerpiece with lavish feasts and fireworks displays to rival any American 4th of July celebration. On the fourth day, friends and relatives visit their families and come bearing gifts. On the fifth and last day, a very specific ritual takes place in which brothers pay a visit to their married sisters who prepare a sumptuous meal in return. The fall is a particularly good time to visit India, after the oppressive heat of the summer and before the torrential monsoons. Garlands of fragrant jasmine flowers, lamps and candles fill homes, and colored sands in the form of lotus flowers adorn entrances as spiritual welcome mats. Strands of colored lights cover business districts and women wear the brightest and best saris in a personal tribute to colors.

Festival of Lights - Illuminating the Good Befitting a festival of lights , all manner of torches, oil lamps and fireworks light up the night sky. For Hindus, light represents the triumph of good over evil; although the legends people observe vary by region (Rama’s story is the preferred one in Northern India), Diwali is a time of unity, when that basic underlying message of good besting evil holds for all cultures. As much as the visual interpretation of Diwali is beautiful to see, the spiritual meaning can be quite profound. Diwali also means the awareness of the inner light. Through higher knowledge we can dispel ignorance and awaken our Atman, or pure and infinite spirit. This victory of knowledge (light) over ignorance (darkness) is seen as a path to spiritual enlightenment. Use Diwali as a personal opportunity to make peace over conflict. Welcome the good spirits into your life—Lakshmi’s good fortune, maybe with the help of Hanuman (remember Rama’s dilemma) or Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Clean out the old and light up your life in this time of renewal.

The people of India are extraordinarily warm and welcoming during Diwali—it’s considered bad luck and poor form not to be gracious at this time of year. The doors of most homes are open and illuminated by lamps, creating a pervasive atmosphere of hospitality. This is India’s biggest festival, full of reverence and good cheer. Again, remember: it’s all about the triumph of good over evil. Let your best tendencies guide you. Sanju S. Style.. Great.

<a href="”>diwali images</a> <a href="”>diwali wishes</a> <a href="”>diwali quotes</a> <a href="”>diwali wallpaper</a> <a href="">rangoli</a> <a href=" ">Lakshmi</a> <a href=" ">thali decoration</a> <a href=" ">kuber mantra</a> <a href="">mothersday</a> <a href="">diwali images</a> <a href="">diwali greeting cards</a> <a href="">mothersday</a> <a href="">deepavali images</a> <a href="">crackers</a> <a href="">deepavali wishes</a> Ihappy D. I Am Also Going the article written is very good, it's very informative and is written in a commendable way which never makes the reader feel boredom keep it up man keep posting articles like these. you reallly have done a commendable job .even i have also written some articles on <a href=""> diwali crackers </a> may be yopu would love to read that.

nice work man...keep it up!! Diwali Facts & Trivia Home Welcome Purpose History Officers Membership Clubhouse Properties Boating Fishing Swimming Swim Team Photos Sponsors Current News Upcoming Events Social Committee Lake Ecology Committees Contacts & Links Diwali Facts & Trivia Diwali is India’s biggest and most well known holiday. It is known as the “festival of lights” and it celebrates the Hindu new year. Diwali is a popular festival not just amongst Hindus, but also in other religions like Jainism, Buddhism and Sikkhism. It is celebrated by people all over the world. Diwali is believed to be the time of transition from darkness unto light – the light that empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds and which brings us closer to divinity. Diwali falls on different days each year. The exact days are calculated by the lunar Hindu calendar. It occurs on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Kartika. According to the Gregorian calendar, it typically falls in October or November. Diwali is celebrated for a period of 5 days. Each days has it’s own significance, rituals and myths.

The third day is celebrated as the main Diwali festival, and is known as the “festival of lights”. The five days of Diwali are Dhanteras, Narak Chaturdashi, Deepawali, Govardhan and Bhaidooj. Diwali in 2010 will start on Friday, the 5th of November and will continue for 5 days until Tuesday, the 9th of November. The main Diwali festival on the 3rd day of the 5 day festival Diwali is held in honour of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Hindus pray to Lakshmi to bring them good luck in the coming year. Diwali signifies the triumph of good over evil. Most of the legends associated with Diwali have the same underlying message. The most popular legend of Diwali is that of Lord Rama, from the epic Ramayana. In the legend, Prince Rama and his wife Sita are banished from their home in Ayodhya by their father, the king. Rama, Sita and Rama’s brother, Lakshmana, go to live in a forest.

After many years, Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, a ten-headed demon. He takes Sita to the island of Lanka. With the help of Hanuman, the monkey warrior, Rama rescues his wife. The people of Ayodhya light diyas in rows to guide Rama and Sita back from the forest to Ayodhya. On their return, Rama is crowned king. Diwali celebrates the return of Rama and Sita. The preparations for Diwali begin months in advance. It is traditional to do a spring house cleaning to spruce it up and to welcome Goddess Lakshmi into your home. People white-wash their houses and buy new house-hold items like gold or silver ornaments and utensils. Over the past few years, electronic equipment/gadgets, automobiles and other luxury items have also been added to the Diwali shopping list. In the evening of Diwali, many Hindus hold puja (prayer) in their homes. They honor Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed god and symbol of auspiciousness and wisdom, and they worship Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and good fortune. The word Diwali means “rows of lighted lamps”.

It is called the “Festival of Lights” because people light diyas (small oil lamps) to welcome the goddess Lakshmi into their homes. Hindus believe that the goddess brings wealth with her when she visits. Hindus place the diyas around their home, by doors and windows, on roof tops, and along outer walls. The lights are left burning all night so that Lakshmi may feel welcomed and enter. Another way people decorate their homes is to draw patterns on the ground outside. The patterns are called Rangoli. They are made of a mixture of rice flour and water, or even colored powder like sand. During Diwali, people dress up in new clothes. Because Diwali celebrates the Hindu new year, it is often customary to get some item of new clothing. Gifts are often exchanged, and these are often sweets, clothing or candles. Homes are decorated with red, green and yellow decorations. Fireworks are a big part of celebrations. The illumination of homes with lights and the skies with firecrackers is an expression of obeisance to the heavenly for the attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace and fame.

According to one belief, the sound of fire-crackers are an indication of the joy of the people living on earth, making the gods aware of their plentiful state. The tradition of gambling on Diwali also has a legend behind it. It is believed that on this day, Goddess Parvati played dice with her husband Lord Shiva and she decreed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night would prosper throughout the ensuing year. Shubh Deepawali! is the traditional greeting. It literally translates to “have an auspicious Diwali”. People exchange this greeting as they meet friends and family. About Diwali Festival Puja, Diwali Festival About Diwali Festival Puja 0 Items in your Cart INR 0.00 Diwali Sweets About Diwali Festival Puja One of the main event on the most popular Hindu festival Diwali is “Diwali Poojan”, where Hindu Worship Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha and Kuber for Health, wealth and prosperity. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi likes cleanliness and visit every house but the cleanest the first. So Hindu cleans the house white wash and decorate their houses on this festival.

This festival starts with worshiping the broom with Haldi and Kumkum. Then in the evening they light up Lamps and Diyas to welcome Lakshmi and perform Worshiping Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. The festival of Diwali last for five days and each of its five days have their significance and meaning, all these five days are celebrated with full of joy and enthusiasm. “Dhanteras” Festival The very first day of this five days festival is known as Dhanteras. This day is very auspicious to buy utensils and jewellery. After the sunset, Hindu bathe and light Diyas on the door way to announce the beginning of this most awaited festival, they worship the lord of Death Yama Raj and pray to protect from untimely and misfortunate death. “Choti Diwali” Festival The second day is called the “Narak Chaturthi” or “Choti Diwali”. It is believed that on this day Lord Krishna killed the demon Narakasur. This day people use body oil and Ubtan for body massage, to set free from tiredness and get relaxed.

People worship God and Goddess, they light Diyas and fire crackers in the night to fade away the darkness. “Lakshmi Poojan” Festival The third day of this five days festival is believed as the most auspicious day to worship Goddess Lakshmi. Hindu believes that the Goddess herself visit everyone on this festival and bless them with wealth and prosperity. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is known as the consort of Vishnu, the preserver. She is the power of multiplicity and the goddess of fortune, both of which are necessary for preservation. Basically Hindu perform this “Lakshmi Ganesha Poojan” after sunset in the evening. In traditional way five or seven Ghee Diyas are lit up in front of these deities, holy songs are sung in order to pray to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha offering sweets. “Govardhan Poojan” Festival This day is known as Govardhan as Govardhan Poojan is performed on this day.

It is believed that Lord Krishana saved the people of Vraja and Govardhan form the anger or Lord Indra, the God of rain; he put the Govardhan parvat on his little finger. From that day onwards, this day is celebrated to worship Govardhan every year. “Bhai Douj” Festival The fifth and the last day of this five days festival is known as Bhai douj. This Bhai douj festival Like Rakhi - Raksha Bandhan Festival . This day is purely dedicated to sister and brothers. On this day sisters fast for their brothers and pray for their well being, health and success. This day is also known as bhai fota in Bengal. In the same way sisters pray for her brother’s health, wealth and safe life.

Question: The third day of the Hindu festival of Diwali honours which Goddess of Fortune?
Answer: Lakshmi