Lasting over five days, the holiday is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs worldwide. This celebration lasts five days and takes place during the Hindu lunisolar month, Kartika. According to Pintchman, in some Hindu traditions the women recite tales where sisters protect their brothers from enemies that seek to cause him either bodily or spiritual harm. The inscription states that Ramachandracharya built and dedicated a drama performance hall, with a golden cupola, on Diwali. Diwali in 2023/2024 - When, Where, Why, How is Celebrated? Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi Devi is worshipped on this day and it is customary to purchase precious articles. Complete guide to visiting India during Diwali - Explore With Lora Diwali is for mere mortals; Dev Deepawali is the festival of the gods. Diwali is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Diwali festivities include a celebration of sights, sounds, arts and flavours. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. The holiday overlaps with the Hindu New Year and as a result is associated with a chance to reset and start anew. Diwali as a new-moon day, marks the last day of a 15-day period. "[74][h], Jain inscriptions, such as the 10th-century Saundatti inscription about a donation of oil to Jinendra worship for the Diwali rituals, speak of Dipotsava. It also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. [140], This day ritually celebrates the bond between the wife and husband,[143] and in some Hindu communities, husbands will celebrate this with gifts to their wives. Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune and prosperity, is the primary deity worshiped during Diwali. Diwali 2020: What is the festival of lights and how is it celebrated? [4] Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Newar Buddhists,[29] although for each faith it marks different historical events and stories, but nonetheless the festival represents the same symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. The third day is Diwali and the height of the festival. In India, while everyone celebrates Deepavali, people don't amass in public, but rather in small groups with their friends and families in homes, neighborhoods, and local temple communities. Diwali: What It Is and How to Celebrate in 2023 - Asia Highlights It is the main day of the Diwali festival. Next year (2024) November 1 (Friday) Last year (2022) October 24 (Monday) This holiday gets its name from the rows of clay lamps that Indians light just outside their houses. For planning purposes, here are the dates for the main celebrations for Diwali for the next few years: The date to celebrate Diwali generally changes by a week to 10 days every year. Everything to Know About Diwali, the 'Festival of Lights' It is a day in which people rid themselves of evil and everything negative. The exact date changes every year because the Hindu calendar is lunar. "There were a hundred-plus of us at my cousin's house each year," she explains. [80], Per another popular tradition, in the Dvapara Yuga period, Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, killed the demon Narakasura, who was the evil king of Pragjyotishapura, near present-day Assam, and released 16000 girls held captive by Narakasura. [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. [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. All the days except Diwali are named using the designation in the Indian calendar. Diwali also known as Deepavali is the . What is Diwali? - BBC Bitesize It is celebrated in India and other countries such as Nepal, Malaysia, Fiji, and Mauritius. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Diwali will become an official holiday on school calendars in New York Also known as the 'festival of lights', the celebration usually lasts for five days. [109] Textual evidence suggests that Bengali Hindus worshipped Lakshmi before the colonial era, and that the Kali puja is a more recent phenomenon. Das, Subhamoy. As an auspicious occasion, many Hindus will make big purchases as it's believed that this will bring good luck. They celebrate by lighting lamps, decorating temples and monasteries, and worshipping the Buddha. Das, Subhamoy. [140] According to Handelman and Shulman, as quoted by Pintchman, this legend is a Hindu metaphor for the cosmic process for creation and dissolution of the world through the masculine destructive power, as represented by Shiva, and the feminine procreative power, represented by Parvati, where twelve reflects the number of months in the cyclic year, while thirty are the number of days in its lunisolar month. Diwali (Deepavali) Nov 27, 2023: Guru Nanak's Birthday: Dec 25, 2023: Christmas Day: Which are the other holidays in India? While different historical events are observed in different regions and by different faiths, Diwali represents the triumph of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance for all the cultures that celebrate it. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [60] It is mentioned in the Ramayana that Diwali was celebrated for only 2 years in Ayodhya. It's a one-day celebration, known as Deepavali, that usually falls a day before the main Diwali date but sometimes occurs on the same day (when the lunar days overlap). [143] In Gujarat, Annakut is the first day of the new year and celebrated through the purchase of essentials, or sabras (literally, "good things in life"), such as salt, offering prayers to Krishna and visiting temples. Diwali 2023 dates | When Is Diwali/ Deepawali in 2023? The Prayer Hymn (Aarti) for the Hindu Diwali Celebration, The Real Reason for the Hindu Raksha Bandhan Celebration, Hindu Calendar: Days, Months, Years and Epochs, Fasting, Praying, and Regular Hindu Rituals. Some 200,000 New Yorkers celebrate Diwali each year, per state Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar . Some diyas may also be set adrift on streams and river and the evening is marked with fireworks. Traditionally, Marathi Hindus and South Indian Hindus receive an oil massage from the elders in the family on the day and then take a ritual bath, all before sunrise. [27] Newar Buddhists, unlike other Buddhists, celebrate Diwali by worshipping Lakshmi, while the Hindus of Eastern India and Bangladesh generally celebrate Diwali by worshipping the goddess Kali. Diwali, the festival of lights, is a religious observance commemorated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists around the world. Happy Diwali 2022: how will the festival of lights be celebrated this year? It is traditionally a puja, or a celebration that worships, honors, and shows devotion to the divine. Learn Religions. [183] These invisible yet harmful particles affect the environment and in turn, put people's health at stake. [143], The last day of the festival, the second day of the bright fortnight of Kartik, is called Bhai Duj (literally "brother's day"[146]), Bhau Beej, Bhai Tilak or Bhai Phonta. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1770209. The Vishwakarma puja day is alternatively observed in other Hindu communities in accordance with the Hindu solar calendar, and this falls in September. The Hindu calendar is based on both the sun and moon (while the Gregorian calendar is only based on the sun). The meaning of Diwaliand its many legends Diwali is so widely. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Dipa oil lamps are often lit for Diwali celebrations. Diwali Decor. Diwali lasts five days, and the main celebrations are held on the third day of the festival. [124][128] Shops either do not open or close early on this day allowing employees to enjoy family time. [177][s], The use of fireworks also causes an increase in the number of burn injuries in India during Diwali. The second day, called NarakaChaturdashiorChotiDiwali, commemorates Krishnas destruction of Narakasura; prayers are also offered for the souls of ancestors. Cook, Sharell. 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. The one festival in India that is celebrated above the caste & religion that is Diwali. [112][113], Rituals and preparations for Diwali begin days or weeks in advance, typically after the festival of Dusshera that precedes Diwali by about 20 days. What is Diwali? All About the 2022 Festival of Lights [171][172] Since 2009, Diwali has been celebrated every year at 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British Prime Minister. Diwali celebrations can last for about five days. [121] The day and its rituals are interpreted as ways to liberate any souls from their suffering in "Naraka", or hell, as well as a reminder of spiritual auspiciousness. [148] On this day the womenfolk of the family gather, perform a puja with prayers for the well being of their brothers, then return to a ritual of feeding their brothers with their hands and receiving gifts. This year, Diwali will be on Thursday, Nov. 4. Diwali 2021: Here's all you need to know about why Diwali - Firstpost Diwali is also an important festival in Jainism. For the Jain community, the festival commemorates the enlightenment and liberation (moksha) of Mahavira, the most recent of the Jain Tirthankaras, from the cycle of life and death (samsara). During the festival, diyas are lit and placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses and set adrift on rivers and streams. Diwali (English: /dwli/), Dewali, Divali,[3] or Deepavali (IAST: dpval), also known as the Festival of Lights,[4][5] related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious[6] celebration in Indian religions. The fourth day has different names in different regions and typically celebrates the marital bond. 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. It is a national holiday in India which marks its independence from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947. 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. Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. On this day, Lord Dhanwantari came out of the ocean with Ayurvedic for mankind. "When Is Diwali in 2021, 2022 and 2023?" https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1539426 (accessed March 4, 2023). The celebration of Diwali aligns with the new moon, so it's celebrated on a different day each year. In South India the festival marks Krishnas defeat of the demon Narakasura. This year's date of celebration starts November 14, 2020. The festival typically lasts for four to five days and coincides with the new moon on the Hindu lunisolar calendar,. Diwali Calender - When is Diwali in 2022, Diwalifestival.org Here's how India is celebrating Diwali - NPR.org Diwali is observed as a Gazetted Holiday throughout the nation. Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs, built a well in Goindwal with eighty-four steps and invited Sikhs to bathe in its sacred waters on Baisakhi and Diwali as a form of community bonding. What Is Diwali? When and How to Celebrate This Indian Holiday | Martha [103][104][k], Diwali is not a festival for most Buddhists, with the exception of the Newar people of Nepal who revere various deities in Vajrayana Buddhism and celebrate Diwali by offering prayers to Lakshmi. (The corresponding dates in the Gregorian calendar usually fall in late October and November.) [43], The puja and rituals in the Bengali Hindu community focus on Kali, the goddess of war, instead of Lakshmi. [143] According to Kinsley, the ritual use of cow dung, a common fertiliser, is an agricultural motif and a celebration of its significance to annual crop cycles. Diwali is the biggest holiday of the year in India. When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? Dates for 2020 to 2025 - Learn Religions Diwali is the symbol of the victory of good over evil, of hope over despair and of knowledge over ignorance. [20][45] The term is derived from the Sanskrit words dpa, "lamp, light, lantern, candle, that which glows, shines, illuminates or knowledge"[46] and vali, "a row, range, continuous line, series". Diwali is India's most important holidayand a - History However you celebrate Diwali, Denver's growing Indian food scene offers a rich culinary experience for those who enjoy fresh ingredients, diverse textures, and complex combinations of spices from the South Asian subcontinent. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 10,000 on this Diwali: ASSOCHAM survey, "Festival of Lights: All You Need to Know About Diwali", "DNA Explainer: What is Diwali Muhurat Trading and why it is best time to invest in stocks", "NextFins Celebrates Diwali With the Launch of INDF", "Prince Charles, Camilla celebrate Diwali in UK", "Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall Celebrate Diwali at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London", "Brown celebrates Diwali at 10, Downing Street, in a 'historic' first", "Pakistan parliament adopts resolution for Holi, Diwali, Easter holidays", "Muslim-majority Pakistan set to declare Holi, Diwali and Easter as public holidays", "Muslims join Hindus in Diwali celebrations in Pakistan's Peshawar", "Burns in the developing world and burn disasters", "Air Pollution: Delhi's air quality enters 'Red Zone' ahead of Diwali", "Diwali may bring 'severe' air pollution to Delhi, despite fireworks ban", "Firecrackers Not Only Pollute The Environment But Also Carry Cancer Causing Chemicals", "Diyas symbolise Diwali, crackers cause pollution: Delhi environment minister", The Ancient Origins of Diwali, Indias Biggest Holiday, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sembilan's Birthday, Anniversary of Installation of the Sultan of Terengganu, Declaration of Malacca City as Historical City, Declaration of George Town as World Heritage Site, Annunciation of the Virgin Mary / Annunciation of the Theotokos, Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust, Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Fast in Honor of the Holy Mother of Lord Jesus, Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nativity of Mary / Nativity of the Theotokos, Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month, Virgin IslandsPuerto Rico Friendship Day, Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diwali&oldid=1139371132, Articles containing Assamese-language text, Articles containing Bengali-language text, Articles containing Gujarati-language text, Articles containing Kannada-language text, Articles containing Konkani (individual language)-language text, Articles containing Maithili-language text, Articles containing Malayalam-language text, Articles containing Marathi-language text, Articles containing Punjabi-language text, Articles containing Nepali (macrolanguage)-language text, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English, Articles using infobox templates with no data rows, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Ashvin Krishna Trayodashi, Ashvin Krishna Chaturdashi, Ashvin Amavasya, Kartik Shukla Pratipada, Kartik Shukla Dwitiya, 11 (Kali Chaudas/Hanuman Puja/Chhoti Diwali), This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 20:01. Diwali is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Hindu month of Kartika and, much like Easter, the date changes every year. [59][60] The 16th-century Portuguese traveler Domingo Paes wrote of his visit to the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire, where Dipavali was celebrated in October with householders illuminating their homes, and their temples, with lamps. [61], Islamic historians of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire era also mentioned Diwali and other Hindu festivals. Every year on the darkest night in the northern hemisphere, millions illuminate their homes and streets to celebrate the victory of good over evil. The date of Deepavali on the new moon makes it the darkest night in the month of Kartik, when the nights are cold, long, and dark: all the lights make that darkness easier to bear. This is the day when Hindu, Jain and Sikh temples and homes are aglow with lights, thereby making it the "festival of lights". It is observed on the 15th day of the 8th month (the month of Kartik) in India's calendar. While Diwali spans five days, the holiday reaches its peak on day three this year, falling on Oct. 24, 2022. Deepavali means a row of lights, where 'deep' means light and 'avali' means row. They follow thithi which is based on the movement of planets and Sun. Forget bitterness. In some communities, husbands will give gifts to their wives, while in others parents with newly married children invite them and their spouses to enjoy a meal and receive gifts. Das, Subhamoy. Updates? [139], The celebrations and rituals of the Jains and the Sikhs are similar to those of the Hindus where social and community bonds are renewed. [140] It is regionally called Annakut (heap of grain), Padwa, Goverdhan puja, Bali Pratipada, Bali Padyami, Kartik Shukla Pratipada and other names. The day also marks a major shopping day to purchase new utensils, home equipment, jewelry, firecrackers, and other items. Diwali symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". [48][127], The youngest members in the family visit their elders, such as grandparents and other senior members of the community, on this day. A few, notably the Mughal emperor Akbar, welcomed and participated in the festivities,[62][63] whereas others banned such festivals as Diwali and Holi, as Aurangzeb did in 1665. [110] Some regions of India start Diwali festivities the day before Dhanteras with Govatsa Dwadashi. [116] On this day, many Hindus clean their homes and business premises. What makes Dev Deepawali different from Diwali? 2. [137][138] According to Pintchman, who quotes Raghavan, this ritual may also be linked to the tradition in some communities of paying respect to ancestors. Learn Religions. 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. "When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. [126] Family members light up firecrackers, which some interpret as a way to ward off all evil spirits and the inauspicious, as well as add to the festive mood. (The corresponding dates in the Gregorian calendar usually fall in late October and November.) To produce colors when crackers are burst, carcinogenic and poisonous elements are used. [173], Diwali was first celebrated in the White House by George W. Bush in 2003 and its religious and historical significance was officially recognized by the United States Congress in 2007. Dhan-trayodashi or Dhan teras: Dhan means "wealth" and Trayodashi means "thirteenth day." Thus, as the name . [114][43][82] On the evening of Dhanteras, families offer prayers (puja) to Lakshmi and Ganesha, and lay offerings of puffed rice, candy toys, rice cakes and batashas (hollow sugar cakes). Scholars contest the 527 BCE date and consider Mahavira's biographical details as uncertain. For example, the Singaporean government, in association with the Hindu Endowment Board of Singapore, organises many cultural events during Diwali every year. However, the focus of the Jain Diwali remains the dedication to Mahavira. Diwali Diwali (or Deepawali, Deepavali) is an ancient Hindu festival that is celebrated in autumn every year. It is well preserved on the north wall of the second. When is Diwali 2022? What to know the festival of lights - Deseret News Each day has the following rituals and significance:[43], Dhanteras, derived from Dhan meaning wealth and teras meaning thirteenth, marks the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin or Kartik and the beginning of Diwali in most parts of India. The Lacshmipuja dipanwita, remarked Jones, was a "great festival at night, in honour of Lakshmi, with illuminations on trees and houses".[68][f]. It is a time when families come together, friends are reunited and everyone celebrates the triumph of good over evil. One of the earliest reports on this variation was by Wilson in 1847. These lamps symbolize the light of inner spirituality that protects us from the spiritual darkness that threatens to engulf us. [86], Mythical tales shared on Diwali vary widely depending on region and even within Hindu tradition,[88] yet all share a common focus on righteousness, self-inquiry and the importance of knowledge,[89][90] which, according to Lindsey Harlan, an Indologist and scholar of Religious Studies, is the path to overcoming the "darkness of ignorance". Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Diwali 2023: 12 th of November, Sunday [135] Vaishnava families recite Hindu legends of the victory of good over evil and the return of hope after despair on the Diwali night, where the main characters may include Rama, Krishna, Vamana or one of the avatars of Vishnu, the divine husband of Lakshmi. [125], Some Hindus observe Yama Deepam (also known as Yama Dipadana or Jam ke Diya) on the second day of Diwali, instead of the first day. What is Diwali and how is it celebrated? - Real Word According to McDermott, while the Durga Puja is the largest Bengali festival and it can be traced to the 16th-century or earlier, the start of Kali puja tradition on Diwali is traceable to no earlier than about the mid-18th-century during the reign of Raja Krishnacandra Ray. 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). On the eve of his first visit to India as President of the United States, Obama released an official statement sharing his best wishes with "those celebrating Diwali". Bhalla said the dates change each year based on the Hindu lunar calendar, but typically happens in October and November. [23][140] According to one tradition, the day is associated with the story of Bali's defeat at the hands of Vishnu. Diwali: Hindu Festival of Lights | Live Science Hit ctrl+D to bookmark this page, and share this page with your friends. 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. Illustrative Islamic records, states Stephen Blake, include those of 16th-century Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi who wrote, "during Diwali. the ignorant ones amongst Muslims, particularly women, perform the ceremonies they celebrate it like their own Id and send presents to their daughters and sisters,. they attach much importance and weight to this season [of Diwali]. In other regions, parents invite a newly married daughter, or son, together with their spouses to a festive meal and give them gifts.
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