History And Traditions Of Diwali

Diwali is arguably the biggest holiday on the Indian festival calendar. Diwali is a festival of five days that celebrates the victory of light over darkness, and hope over despair. 

In this article, we will be knowing all about the festival of lights and its significance.

What is Diwali

Diwali, also known as the festival of lights, is celebrated every October. Navratri celebrations which are celebrated for nine days already have the country encased in festive decorations, songs, dancing and voracious feasts, the next couple of weeks are only going to boost the celebratory mood.

The history behind the festival:

Some famous stories revolving around Diwali in Hindu mythology are as follows:

• Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya:

Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita Devi, and brother Lakshmana, to his homeland Ayodhya after 14 years spent in exile. 

To light the path for Lord Rama, who had defeated the great demon king Ravanasura, villagers of Ayodha use festive lights and other decorations. 

• Krishna defeats the demon Narakasura:

This promising day is also considered to mark another victorious event in Hindu mythology. On this day of Diwali, Lord Krishna is said to have defeated the demon king Narakasura, who ruled Pragjyotishapuram, which is considered to be near present-day Assam State. 

To free the people of his kingdom, who lived in absolute fear, Krishna slew the demon and declared that the day is marked by festivities.

It’s about light-

‘Diwali’ originated from the Sanskrit word ‘Deepavali’ where ‘Deepa’ means ‘light’ and ‘vali’ means ‘row’; thus a row of lights seen in homes during this festival is known as Diwali. 

Diwali is a festival that is celebrated on Amavasya or on a ‘no moon day and heralds the dawn of a New Year according to the Hindu calendar. 

It is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains, each of these groups honors some historical figure and significance. 

As the name itself says Festival of Lights does just that to light up the homes and hearts of communities across the globe. During the five days of festivity, people’s homes are lit up by ‘Diyas’ known as clay lamps, and the exteriors are often decorated with electric bright and colorful lights.

Celebrating the goddess of Prosperity-

Hindu Goddess Lakshmi Devi is worshipped around the country during Diwali. The Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, fertility, and prosperity, is said to have chosen Lord Maha Vishnu, one of the most important deities in Hinduism, to be her husband on the night of Diwali.

An elaborate puja is performed to bring in the new year as per the Hindu calendar. Families dress up in festive finery. During the puja rituals, the main door is kept open as a symbol of inviting the Goddess into homes. 

Attractive rangolis made of flowers and colors and other decorative items adorn the entry of houses and door hangings are used to enhance the beauty of the home. 

New ventures and new accounting years are also initiated on this day by worshipping Goddess Lakshmi.

The festival for those who love sweets-

Diwali is marked by another much welcome tradition besides being the day for enjoying songs and dance– that of gifting and enjoying sweets.

Friends, family, neighbors, and acquaintances exchange boxes of colorful delicacies, usually consisting of classic Indian sweets, such as ladoos, barfis, pedals, and jalebis. 

The essence of Deepawali-

On Diwali, the air is filled with the smell of fragrance, the acrid smell of burning crackers all over the nation, and the tasty aromas coming from the kitchen. 

This Diwali celebration features various rich savory and sweet dishes, families will mostly prepare food at home for when guests arrive to exchange gifts and sweets and watch beautiful fireworks.

For some people, Diwali celebrations are loud and colorful with all beauty, with people competing for who has the loudest and brightest fireworks! 

For some people, Diwali means the annual cleaning and decorating of the house neatly. And for some, it means the very last bite of sweets, the end of an array of Hindu festival celebrations before you start dieting to get into that evening shift on New Year’s Eve!