During the festival, diyas are lit and placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses and set adrift on rivers and streams. This is why dates change every year. Some suggest he lived in the 5th-century BCE contemporaneously with the Buddha. The day before Diwali is remembered as Naraka Chaturdasi, the day on which Narakasura was killed by Krishna. The Hindu calendar is based on both the sun and moon (while the Gregorian calendar is only based on the sun). Major temples and homes are decorated with lights, festive foods shared with all, friends and relatives remembered and visited with gifts. 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. [140] It is regionally called Annakut (heap of grain), Padwa, Goverdhan puja, Bali Pratipada, Bali Padyami, Kartik Shukla Pratipada and other names. The holiday falls in late October or early November each year, and in 2021, is on Thursday, November 4. . He has written several books about Hinduism for children and young adults. Sharell Cook lives in Mumbai full-time and writes about India travel. [50] . This year, it begins in the first week of November from 2nd-6th. [13][14][93][94], A scholar of Jain and Nivethan, states that in Jain tradition, Diwali is celebrated in observance of "Mahavira Nirvana Divas", the physical death and final nirvana of Mahavira. Updates? ( See calendar ). This year's festival begins on Oct. 22. [112] [o] The looms, tools of trade, machines and workplaces are cleaned and prayers offered to these livelihood means. The course of the five days includes cleaning . Communities prepare over one hundred dishes from a variety of ingredients, which is then dedicated to Krishna before being shared among the community. 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. As per India's official holiday calendar, Diwali in 2020 will be on Saturday, November 14, coinciding with the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. The devotion and dedication of Hanuman pleased Rama so much that he blessed Hanuman to be worshipped before him. Diwali Diwali (or Deepawali, Deepavali) is an ancient Hindu festival that is celebrated in autumn every year. Diwali usually falls in October or November. Fireworks are often set off in the evening to celebrate Diwali. [47][b], The five-day celebration is observed every year in early autumn after the conclusion of the summer harvest. Each day has a special significance as follows. Diwali's date is determined by the India calendar and changes every year, ranging from October to November. In 2023, Diwali will be celebrated on 19th October (Sunday). [176], Every year during Diwali, Indian forces approach their Pakistani counterparts at the border bearing gifts of traditional Indian confectionery, a gesture that is returned in kind by the Pakistani soldiers who give Pakistani sweets to the Indian soldiers. It coincides with the new moon (amvasy) and is deemed the darkest night of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. The Prime Minister Jawaharlal . The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue was founded as Secretariat for non-Christians by Pope Paul VI. In other regions, parents invite a newly married daughter, or son, together with their spouses to a festive meal and give them gifts. Naraka Chaturdashi is the second day of the festival on November 3. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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). All the days except Diwali are named using the designation in the Indian calendar. Symbolising the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness, Diwali usually falls in the early autumn, coinciding with the new moon, deemed the darkest night of the Hindu lunar calendar. [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. Diwali is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It is intended to signify a brother's duty to protect his sister as well as sisters blessing their brothers. 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 believed that on this day the Goddess Lakshmi, often associated with wealth, abundance and good fortune, visits people's homes and fulfils their desires. Here is everything you need to know about the festival and how it is celebrated. A diya that is filled with sesame oil is lit at back of their homes facing in the southern direction. Diwali this year is a close-knit family affair. It's a celebration that takes place 15 days after Diwali - the Hindu festival of lights. [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. A Hindu devotee lights oil lamps at a temple during . Diwali was celebrated as a signifier of triumph of good over evil after Krishna's Victory over Narakasura. [41], Diwali (English: /dwli/)[9] or Divali[44] is from the Sanskrit dpvali meaning "row or series of lights". Hit ctrl+D to bookmark this page, and share this page with your friends. Diwali is an important festival in Jainism. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. [92][12], Originally a Hindu festival, Diwali has transcended religious lines. The auspicious time to conduct Lakshmi Puja will begin at 6:09 pm and end at 8:04 pm, according to the Drik Panchang. Diwali is typically a four- or five-day event, starting two days before the new moon and extending two days afterward. Learn Religions, Oct. 12, 2021, learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1539426. 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). Diwali is the biggest holiday of the year in India. For example, the Singaporean government, in association with the Hindu Endowment Board of Singapore, organises many cultural events during Diwali every year. [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. "Deepawali" and "Dipawali" redirect here. Diwali is one of the most revered and a pious festival deeply entrenched in Hindu culture. Thus, people worship Hanuman the day before Diwali's main day. 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. Diwali festivities usually last for 5 days. This year it was from November 5th-9th and in 2019 it will be October 25-29th. Major celebrations occur on the third day of the five-day long festival . Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi Devi is worshipped on this day and it is customary to purchase precious articles. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [24], Originally a Hindu festival, Diwali is now also celebrated by other faiths. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1539426. Many participate in other socio-political events as a symbol of support for diversity and inclusiveness. They follow thithi which is based on the movement of planets and Sun. [108] During Diwali, people wear their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with saaki (earthen lamp), diyas and rangoli, perform worship ceremonies of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth,[l] light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared. The exact date changes every year because the Hindu calendar is lunar. 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. Answer (1 of 6): Hindus do not follow date system. They also spend time with family and friends to enjoy good food and fireworks. Also known as the 'festival of lights', the celebration usually lasts for five days. Corrections? [183] These invisible yet harmful particles affect the environment and in turn, put people's health at stake. This year, Diwali will be celebrated on October 24. Merchants perform religious ceremonies and open new account books. 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. Diwali celebrations can last for about five days. [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. The reason Diwali's celebration date is different each year is that each of the Hindu calendarsthere are severalis lunisolar, meaning they take into effect both the movements of the sun and the moon. 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. [109] Textual evidence suggests that Bengali Hindus worshipped Lakshmi before the colonial era, and that the Kali puja is a more recent phenomenon. It is one of the most important festivals within Hinduism[7][8] where it generally lasts five days (or six in some regions of India), and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin (according to the amanta tradition) and Kartika (between mid-October and mid-November). Although not a primary festival of Buddhism, Diwali is celebrated by some Buddhists as a commemoration of the day when Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism in the 3rd century bce. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. The final day is Bhai Dooj and similarly, celebrates the bonds between brothers and sisters. Homes are decorated, and floors inside and out are covered with rangoli, consisting of elaborate designs made of colouredrice, sand, or flower petals. According to the ancient calendar, Diwali is observed on Amavasya (or new moon) the 15th day of the month of Kartik, every year. Bhalla said the dates change each year based on the Hindu lunar calendar, but typically happens in October and November. Learn Religions, Sep. 4, 2021, learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1770209. 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. [116] Some communities, particularly those active in Ayurvedic and health-related professions, pray or perform havan rituals to Dhanvantari on Dhanteras. The first day of Diwali is called Dhanvantari Triodasi or Dhanwantari Triodasi also called Dhan Theras. [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". In 2022, Diwali will begin on October 22, and end on October 26. 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). [12][114] Families also prepare homemade delicacies for Lakshmi Pujan, regarded as the main day of Diwali. Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. After firing, the fine dust particles get settled on the surrounding surfaces which are packed with chemicals like copper, zinc, sodium, lead, magnesium, cadmium and pollutants like oxides of sulfur and nitrogen. While Diwali spans five days, the holiday reaches its peak on day three this year, falling on Oct. 24, 2022. [162][q] ASSOCHAM, a trade organisation in India, forecasted that online shopping alone to be over 300 billion (US$3.8billion) over the 2017 Diwali season. [73] According to Lorenz Franz Kielhorn, a German Indologist known for translating many Indic inscriptions, this festival is mentioned as Dipotsavam in verses 6 and 7 of the Ranganatha temple Sanskrit inscription of the 13th-century Kerala Hindu king Ravivarman Samgramadhira. Food is a major focus with families partaking in feasts and sharing mithai. Dev Deepawali or Dev Diwali takes place on the full-moon night of the Hindu month of Kartika. [120] The term "chhoti" means little, while "Naraka" means hell and "Chaturdashi" means "fourteenth". [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. Diwali (Deepavali) Nov 27, 2023: Guru Nanak's Birthday: Dec 25, 2023: Christmas Day: Which are the other holidays in India? On this day, sisters will give gifts to their brothers and invite them to enjoy a meal. In some parts of India, the day after Lakshmi Puja is marked with the Govardhan Puja and Balipratipada (Padwa). Deepavali means a row of lights, where 'deep' means light and 'avali' means row. [20], The festival is an annual homecoming and bonding period not only for families,[17][18] but also for communities and associations, particularly those in urban areas, which will organise activities, events and gatherings. In India, the holiday always falls on the 15th of Kartik, the first month of the Hindu lunar calendar . [169][r], Many governments encourage or sponsor Diwali-related festivities in their territories. [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. This year, Diwali 2022 begins on Monday, October 24, 2022 (24/10/2022), and finishes on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 (26/10/2022). It symbolizes the victory of good over evil and an even deeper meaning is to drive away our inner darkness with light. It is traditionally a puja, or a celebration that worships, honors, and shows devotion to the divine. Ubtan is applied by the women which is made up of special gram flour mixed with herbs for cleansing and beautifying themselves. [168], Diwali has increasingly attracted cultural exchanges, becoming occasions for politicians and religious leaders worldwide to meet Hindu or Indian origin citizens, diplomatic staff or neighbours. It takes place on November 26 this year. [143], In some rural communities of the north, west and central regions, the fourth day is celebrated as Govardhan puja, honouring the legend of the Hindu god Krishna saving the cowherd and farming communities from incessant rains and floods triggered by Indra's anger,[143] which he accomplished by lifting the Govardhan mountain. Part of the inscription, as translated by Kielhorn, reads: "the auspicious festival of lights which disperses the most profound darkness, which in former days was celebrated by the kings Ila, Kartavirya and Sagara, () as Sakra (Indra) is of the gods, the universal monarch who knows the duties by the three Vedas, afterwards celebrated here at Ranga for Vishnu, resplendent with Lakshmi resting on his radiant lap. Where does Diwali get its name? Typically the holiday falls in October or November, as it's observed on the 15th day of Kartik, the holy month of the Hindu lunar calendar . Each day of the festival has special significance. Amavasya is thought of as the darkest night of the year and is holy to Hindus. In North India the festival also celebrates the royal homecoming of Rama (along with Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman) to the city of Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the 10-headed king of the demons, thus connecting the festival with the holiday of Dussehra. This is followed by Choti Diwali the next day and Diwali on November 4. Although most important for Hindus, the festival is also observed by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. Diwali, the festival of lights, is a religious observance commemorated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists around the world. [13][14][15][16] The festival is widely associated with Lakshmi,[17][18] goddess of prosperity and Ganesha, god of wisdom and the remover of obstacles, with many other regional traditions connecting the holiday to Sita and Rama, Vishnu, Krishna, Durga, Shiva, Kali, Hanuman, Kubera, Yama, Yami, Dhanvantari, or Vishvakarman. The 5 days of Diwali Diwali always falls some time between October and November, but the exact date varies each year as the Hindu calendar is based on the Moon. A 2017 estimate states 50,000 tons (100million pounds) of fireworks are exploded annually in India over the Diwali festival. [109][133] According to Rachel Fell McDermott, a scholar of South Asian, particular Bengali, studies, in Bengal during Navaratri (Dussehra elsewhere in India) the Durga puja is the main 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. [171][172] Since 2009, Diwali has been celebrated every year at 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British Prime Minister. 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. 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?
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