Diwali, sometimes written as Diwali, is a five-day Hindu, Sikh, and Jain religious celebration that begins on the 13th day of the dark half of the moon cycle Ashvina and ends on the 2nd day of the bright half of the moon month Karttika. Deepavali, which means “row of lights” in Sanskrit, is the source of the name. 

The event is a celebration of light triumphing over darkness. Diwali traditions and celebrations vary by area. The most common Hindu tradition is to light diyas on the new moon’s night to attract Lakshmi, the god of riches, to visit. This paper will lighten the facts about Diwali, its history, significance in India and also cover some interesting things you should know about Diwali festival.

Why do we celebrate Diwali in India?

The Ramayana is the tale of Lord Rama, who is the avatar of Lord Vishnu, and his wife Sita, according to mythology. Demon king Ravana stole Sita and carried her to his land Lanka when Lord Rama, his brother Lakshmana, and Rama’s wife Sita were all in exile. 

Then Lord Rama, his brother Lakshman, and an incredible monkey God named Hanuman, who possessed unrivaled abilities, waged war over Lanka King Ravana as well as destroyed him.  When Lord Rama returned to his country after a fourteen-year exile, earthen lamps were lit across the kingdom, and Diwali was celebrated for the very first time. This is the Diwali story.

Diwali is a religious holiday. It is one of India’s most well-known festivals. According to their beliefs, tales, and historical events, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists celebrate it. Although their beliefs and reasoning may differ, Diwali represents the victory of good against evil, wisdom over ignorance, light against darkness, and faith over suffering.

Diwali commemorates Lord Rama’s return to his hometown of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and is widely celebrated as a festival of lights. Lord Rama is God Vishnu’s seventh incarnation. During his banishment, he battled and conquered Ravana, the demon ruler of Lanka.

What is the significance of Diwali?

Every Diwali ceremony has a purpose and a backstory. Light triumphs over darkness, good triumphs over evil, and knowledge triumphs over ignorance in Diwali’s spiritual meaning. The lights of Diwali symbolize the destruction of all our dark aspirations and ideas, the elimination of dark shadows and evils, and the power and enthusiasm to continue with our kindness for the remainder of the year.

Diwali is a festival that brings together people of all religions and castes from throughout the country. It’s a joyful and humorous time when everyone embraces one another. The festival has a welcoming atmosphere and a sense of purity about it.

As a sign of appreciation to the gods for the acquisition of education, health, riches, peace, and prosperity, homes are lit with lights while firecrackers fill the skies. The explosion of firecrackers is also said to represent the joy of people living on Earth, as well as the Gods of our abundant existence. People are seeking better methods to show their delight as a result of their environmental effects.

Interesting things you should know about Diwali festival

• While Diwali is widely thought to be a Hindu festival, it is also observed by a number of different religions, including Sikhism, Jainism, and a variety of folk religions.
• And not only do all of these religions and cultures have distinct Diwali deities to worship, but they also have diverse mythical renditions of the same stories.
• Diwali is celebrated with colorful decorations, new garments, and bright displays of colors and lights because it is commonly thought that Diwali is the occasion that the Hindu deity of wealth, Lakshmi, roams the Earth and gives wealth and happiness to the people.
• Another widespread belief associated with Diwali for Jainism, India’s 6th largest faith, is that it marks the day on which Lord Mahavira, the youngest among the 24 Tirthankaras, gained ‘Nirvana.’
• While most Diwali customs date back hundreds of centuries, one of most recent is the one linked with Sikhism. Sikhs commemorate Diwali as the day when their Guru HargobindJi, along with other Hindu monarchs, was freed from the Mughal ruler Jahangir’s imprisonment in Gwalior.
• While Diwali is a one-day holiday in South India, it is a five-day festival throughout much of northern India, with each place having its own importance and devoted to a distinct god.
• The most widely held belief is that Diwali commemorates the day when the Hindu god Lord Ram reappeared in his hometown of Ayodhya after defeating the evil ruler Ravana. Legend has it that lights were ignited all around the country to commemorate his return to power.
• The explosion of firecrackers is the most well-known and widespread Diwali custom. However, it is a relatively new element to Diwali festivities, since firecrackers & pyrotechnics were prohibitively expensive until the 1900s, and were solely utilized by royalty.

Conclusion

Over the previous 70 years, Pakistan and India have been at enmity and fought three wars, making the boundary between the two nations perennially tense. Diwali, on the other hand, is one of the few times a year when troops from both sides put their views aside, greet, and even deliver sweets over the boundary to their counterparts.