Diwali is the magical festival of lights. What is Diwali and how is it celebrated in India? festival of lights in india

Diwali (or Deepavali) is the main and, perhaps, the brightest holiday in India. "Dipa" is translated as "fire", "lamp". And "wali" means "a lot". Thus, the name of the holiday from Sanskrit can be translated as “a bunch of fire”. No wonder the holiday is also called the Festival of Lights. The history of the celebration of Diwali goes back over 7,000 years.

Now, when Indian culture is loved by many far beyond India, it would be useful to learn about the history and traditions of the main Indian holiday, Diwali. So, let's plunge into the deep and colorful world of Indian culture.

Diwali in 2016 - what date?

Did you know that India has its own calendar, which is different from the usual Gregorian one? According to it, the date of the celebration of Diwali is calculated. However, this calendar is rarely used in social life. So, in the Indian calendar there is a month called Kartik, it is at the beginning of this month (on the new moon) that Diwali is celebrated. In 2016, the Festival of Lights in India starts on October 30th. And in other years, the holiday falls on a different date:

In 2017 - November 18
In 2018 - November 7
In 2019 - October 27
In 2020 - November 14

After reading about the spiritual traditions and boundless beauty of Diwali, you may need these dates to plan your trip to India and see it for yourself. By the way, you can enjoy the extravaganza of fire and light on Diwali for five whole days - that's how many Indians celebrate their main holiday.

The Meaning and History of Diwali

For all Indian peoples, the Festival of Lights is of great importance despite the fact that they explain the origin of Diwali in different ways.

Followers of Vaishnavism It is believed that the beginning of the holiday was marked by the return from exile and the ascension to the royal throne of Rama, the seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu. After the coronation, all the streets of the country were lit up with lights as a sign of the beginning of a new, bright time.

For many regions of India, Diwali marks the beginning of the New Year. For example, traders from Western India before this holiday, they sum up their activities: clean up the shops and put the account books in order.

And on East of the country Diwali is dedicated to the dark and furious goddess Kali, who symbolizes the cult of strength and destruction. However, Kali also carries a lot of constructiveness: she fights ignorance, maintains order in the world, accompanies those who seek to know God.

On the South of India The festival of lights is held in honor of Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura. As a sign of the victory of good over evil, Indians rub their bodies with special oil, more often coconut oil. This ceremony is equivalent to immersion in the sacred waters of the Ganges and cleanses people from sins.

However most Indians dedicates Diwali to the goddess of wealth and fertility Lakshmi - the wife of the god Vishnu. Lakshmi is the goddess of purity and light, so before Diwali, Indians carefully clean their houses and light all the lamps.

Even Muslims in India celebrate Diwali: they (but not only them) play cards, dice and other games of chance, because the goddess Lakshmi brings good luck.

Diwali is a very kind and colorful holiday, with a rich history. It has spread far beyond India - to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar, Japan and other countries. The festival of lights has become widespread even in Western countries. For example, in the video below - the celebration of Diwali in Canada.

Indian Diwali traditions

No matter what story the origin of Diwali is associated with, hardly anyone would argue that the Festival of Lights is a celebration of the victory of good over evil, truth over lies and light over darkness. This is a celebration of the victory of enlightenment, which the Indians have always associated with light.

Diwali traditions have a special, spiritual meaning. As mentioned above, the inhabitants of India take care of the cleanliness of their homes and bodies before the holiday. Thoughts must also be pure. The practice of meditation helps to renew the body and consciousness.

At the Festival of Lights in India, it is customary to refrain from five major vices: passion, anger, greed, attachment and selfishness. This is a time for cleansing not only the body and thoughts, but also deeds. Diwali is also a time for paying bills, both financial and karmic.

The countless lights that decorate houses on Diwali symbolize the light of the mind. In the dwellings, special clay lamps (diya) are placed, which personify the five attributes of the universe - fire and water, earth and air, as well as space. The fire of the lamp symbolizes the soul. Lamp oil signifies spiritual enlightenment. To keep the fire of diya always burning - to be always conscious:

"I am the light, always connected with the Upper Light."

Big cities glow with lights of illumination. Everything shines: trees, and statues of gods, and walls of houses, and terraces. Electric garlands are hung everywhere and clay lamps are placed. All around you can hear the noise of sparklers and fireworks. Small villages are illuminated by the flames of many wick candles that float in ponds and flutter on the roofs of huts.

Not only lights are an essential attribute of the Diwali holiday, but also flowers. For example, garlands of marigold and other flowers are also a symbol of Diwali. Flower petals adorn houses and streets.

Colorful prayer drawings called rangoli are also an element of the Festival of Lights in India. They can be made of flowers or wood, but more often they are painted with special loose paints. Rangoli are located on the outer walls of houses and especially at the front door. Rangoli is a way to attract Goddess Lakshmi.

At sunrise, when men are still sleeping, women take powder paint in their hands and, passing it in streams between their fingers, quickly and accurately create a thin and complex ornament on the floor or ground with light elusive movements. Sometimes ornaments are one-color, but more often two- or three-color.

Diwali is a celebration of renewal. Before the Festival of Lights, old things are thrown away and new ones are bought. And on the holiday itself, people dress up in new clothes and new jewelry.

Sari with gold ornament symbolizes the Golden Age - the age of pure light and harmony. Old clothes should be thrown away as a reminder of the Iron Age, which must end and give way to renewal.

During the Festival of Lights in India, people give each other gifts, especially sweets. The exchange of gifts is an important part of the Indian spiritual tradition. Indian saint Srila Rupa Goswami wrote:

“Giving gifts and accepting gifts, verifying your thoughts and inquiring about secrets, taking prasadam and giving prasadam – these are the six manifestations of love that devotees have for each other.”

Diwali is a celebration of goodness, light, purity, truth and consciousness. This is not just a bright Festival of Lights and a colorful spectacle, it is a holiday with deep spiritual traditions. During the celebration of Diwali, Indians can truly feel the warmth and devotion of loved ones, give and receive nice gifts, share wisdom and, of course, treat each other with prasadam.

The best photos of Diwali

A little Indian girl is surrounded by garlands, the color of which resembles fire.

In the hands of the girls, a tray with special lamps, which are called earthen. On the eve of Diwali, they are set on the ground so that the lights form a symbolic ornament or pattern.

The next photo shows the Hindu god of prosperity - Ganesha. The drawing was made using the same earthen lamps, which were discussed above. The inscription below the image of the god reads in Hindi: "Happy Diwali".

Elderly women gathered around diya oil lamps to celebrate Diwali.

Indians light candles at the Festival of Lights near the New Delhi Temple.

In honor of Diwali, a woman decorates her doorstep with colorful designs and earthen lamps.

A girl lights candles before the Festival of Lights in Allahabad, northern India.

A homeless elderly Indian is getting ready for bed right on the street, surrounded by candles that a local merchant lit in front of his shop on the eve of Diwali.

The name Deepavali (Diwali) consists of two Sanskrit words: "dip" - a candle, and "pavali" - a garland; Literally, the holiday is translated as "a garland of light." These days are also often called Lakshmi Puja - that is, the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and abundance.

Diwali is the celebration of the victory of light over darkness, of positive energy over negative. The meaning of all Vedic holidays is perfection and striving for the Highest, and Diwali is no exception: this is a holiday of Light, not only literally, but also figuratively, as we glorify the light within us. The inner light is also called "vivek-shilta" - that is, the ability to discern and recognize truth and goodness. This quality awakens when the mind of a person rises to a high level due to spiritual practice and good deeds. It is not for nothing that in Russia there is also a saying that learning is light.

History and legends of the holiday

According to one legend, Goddess Lakshmi was born on this day a very long time ago. So Diwali can be considered a celebration of the birthday of this goddess. Another story connects these days with the reign of Rama, the incarnation of the god Vishnu, on earth - according to legend, the reign of Rama destroyed spiritual darkness, which is symbolized by the lights lit in Diwali.

Whatever the source of this holiday, the meaning is the same - to draw people's attention to a good life path (personal dharma). If you strive to fulfill your dharma, then positive energy will fill you and your environment.

When is Diwali celebrated in India and why is the date “floating” in the European calendar

In Europe, including Russia, the Gregorian calendar is used, and India still has its own traditional calendar. And according to the Hindu calendar, this holiday falls on the month of Kartika - the eighth month of the year, which begins on October 23 and ends on November 23. It turns out that in Europe, Diwali falls at the end of October or the beginning of November. In 2018, Diwali is celebrated from 7 to 11 November. To determine the exact date of the holiday every year, astrologers make special calculations. We usually celebrate the holiday after 5 pm until late at night.

How to prepare for the holiday

Before Diwali in India, it is customary to do a general cleaning in the house, carefully sweep all the corners, paint and whitewash your houses, so that cleanliness and order reigned around. It is believed that where there is external purity, goodness and positive energy dominate.

Diwali is celebrated for three days. The first day of the holiday is called Dhanteras - on this day it is customary to buy new dishes for the house, give women gold or silver jewelry. The second day is called Choti Diwali and the third is called Diwali. These days, families buy the most luxurious sweets, flowers, garlands, candles, incense and come to the temple to present all these gifts to the goddess of well-being and prosperity Lakshmi. Traditionally, bhajans are sung to both this goddess and other deities of the Indian pantheon. During Diwali, it is customary to visit all neighbors, friends and just acquaintances, while exchanging sweets. Another common gift is all kinds of jewelry and fabrics. These days it is customary to dress up brightly and pay special attention to external beauty.

How to celebrate Diwali

Despite the fact that Diwali is primarily a spiritual holiday, it is customary to celebrate it on a grand scale. In India, all the streets and houses are illuminated by the light of many candles and lamps. For several days, the usual darkness of the night is replaced by the flickering of thousands of lights, and the silence is replaced by the sounds of joyful songs and jubilation. By tradition, the holiday ends with colorful fireworks.

During the days of Diwali, the evening and night are spent in prayer and meditation. A person who performs these practices does it not only for himself, but also for the well-being of his relatives and friends. Business people pray to Goddess Lakshmi in a special way in order to increase their wealth. It is also customary to give alms on Diwali. It is believed that it cleanses a person's karma, while donations must come from the heart.

| Indian New Year - the festival of lights - Diwali. Holidays and festivals in India

Indian New Year - the festival of lights - Diwali. Holidays and festivals in India

Diwali (Deepavali) - the festival of lights in honor of the goddess of wealth and prosperity Lakshmi. This is the main Hindu holiday celebrated everywhere in India and symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil. The name is translated from Sanskrit as "fiery bunch", therefore, on this holiday, the streets of cities and villages are lit up with thousands of lights and fireworks. The air is shaken by the explosions of rockets, firecrackers and firecrackers. City streets, statues of gods are decorated with luminous lanterns (Dipa) and lit candles.

The holiday usually falls at the end of October - beginning of November (the beginning of the month of Kartik) and coincides with the end of the monsoon rainy season and the beginning of winter. The date of the celebration depends on the position of the moon, so each time it is celebrated on a different day.

Associated with this holiday several legends. Vishnuites believe that Rama was crowned on this day, in honor of which the illumination was arranged. According to another version, the wise rule of Rama delivered humanity from spiritual darkness. In gratitude for the return from darkness to light, fires are lit.

In modern India Diwali considered a holiday new Year.

During the holiday is observed everywhere a number of traditions- Hindus put on new clothes, put their house in order, decorate its threshold with flower garlands, and light oil lamps are placed at the entrance. In addition, one must abstain from the five major vices - lust, anger, greed, attachment and the so-called ego, which generally means the purification of one's thoughts, words and deeds.

However, in every area India The celebration of Diwali has its own characteristics.

in trading communities Western Indian Diwali coincides with the start of a new financial year. Merchants on this day put the account books in order, tidy up the shops. In the evening, shops and houses are illuminated with oil lamps or garlands of electric light bulbs. In the old days, at this time, caravans of merchants with goods went out to sea.

Throughout most of India, Diwali Dedicated to the Goddess of Wealth and Fertility Lakshmi wife of Vishnu. The houses are carefully cleaned, all the lights are lit, since the Goddess does not like darkness, they turn to her with a prayer, bring her milk, into which coins are dipped, and leave the doors and windows open at night to make it easier for her to enter the house.

South India in Diwali celebrate the victory of Krishna over the demon Narakasura. On this day of the victory of good over evil, Hindus generously anoint themselves with coconut oil, which cleanses them of sins, since this ceremony is considered equal in meaning to bathing in the sacred Ganges.

In East India, and especially in Bengal, Diwali is dedicated to the worship of the black Goddess Kali, personifying the cult of power. On this occasion, prayers are performed for ten days before the images of the Goddess, and then these images are immersed in the waters of rivers or ponds.

Diwali It is also celebrated by Muslims who mark the arrival of Lakshmi with lights and playing cards and dice, because Lakshmi brings good luck.

Each holiday ritual has its own meaning. Thus, a house illuminated with colorful lights means that the light of reason is present there. Lighted clay lamps represent a body that combines the five basic elements - fire, water, air, space and earth. The fire of the lamps symbolizes the soul, and the oil in them symbolizes spiritual knowledge.

By Saturday evening, people will begin to leave their homes, gathering for mass festivities. At this time, the "madness" of fireworks fire, all kinds of firecrackers and crackers, general fun, music, dances and songs will begin, which will last until the morning of the next day.

Diwali celebrated for five days. The first day of Diwali is called Dhanvantari Trayodashi. The second is Narak Chaturdashi (it is on this day that Krishna's victory over Narakasura is celebrated). The third day is Diwali itself. On this day Lakshmi is worshiped and the return of Rama to Ayodhya is remembered. On the fourth day, the worship of Govardhan Hill and King Bali Maharaja is held, and on the fifth day, Bhratri Duj, the brothers honor the sisters.

The holiday is celebrated not only in India, but also in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Nepal, Malaysia, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Mauritius, Fiji and Singapore.

Devali is the main Hindu holiday.

In Sanskrit, this holiday is called Deepavali (Dipali), in Hindi - Devali (Diwali). In English respectively Deepavali and Diwali.
The name of the holiday "Deepavali" consists of two words. Deepa is a traditional Indian clay lantern filled with oil. Literally, the name of the holiday can be translated as “a row of lights”, “a line of lamps”, “a chain of lamps (clay lanterns)”. The main attribute of the celebrated holiday is lighted bulbs, candles or traditional Indian Dipas. This is why nowadays the more popular translations of Diwali used are "festival of lights" and "festival of lights".
Devali celebration continues for five days:
from the 28th day of the month of Ashvin to the 2nd day of the month of Kartik, determined by the Indian lunisolar calendar. .
Although the traditions of celebrating Dewali are not the same in different areas, . During the holiday, Hindus celebrate the return of Rama from exile, and.

Devali time

The five days of Devali celebrations take place from the 28th of Ashwin to the 2nd of Kartik. These days in the modern Indian calendar correspond to the period from 20th to 24th October of the Gregorian calendar. However, the dates of the celebration are set according to Indian lunisolar calendar, in which all months begin on the New Moon and continue until the next New Moon. That is why the Devali festival is a "floating" holiday in the solar calendars (Gregorian and modern Indian). That is, the festival of Devali in different years of these solar calendar systems falls on different dates.
The average duration of twelve lunar months (from New Moon to New Moon) is 354 - 355 Earth days. This is 10 - 11 days less than the duration of the solar year. Therefore, next year the Devali festival in the Gregorian calendar will start earlier. In the lunisolar Hindu calendar, extra months are inserted to align it with the time of the vernal equinox. If in some year there is an intercalary month in the Indian calendar, then the next Devali festival in the Gregorian calendar will come later. The insertion of an additional lunar month occurs every 2 to 3 years. In this way, According to the Gregorian calendar, the festivals of Dewali fall between mid-October and mid-November..
In 2010, the first day of the Gregorian lunar month of Kartika was November 5th. In 2011, 10 days earlier (October 26th). The following year an extra month was inserted and the first day of Kartik in 2012 was 18 days late (November 13th). In the next two years, there are no intercalary months, and, accordingly, the Devali holidays come earlier: in 2013 - on November 3rd, and in 2014 - on October 23rd.

Days of Devali festivities in 2017

October 19 is the day of the New Moon (Amavasya), corresponding to the holiday of Devali 2017 and giving rise to the lunar month of Kartika. Dewali celebrations this year will be held from October 17th to 21st: The dates of the Dewali holidays can shift by a day depending on the time zone of the countries of the world and religious traditions in different areas of India.

Table of dates of Diwali holidays by years

*The dates of the holiday may vary slightly due to well-established differences in religious traditions and time zones.

Five days of Devali celebration

Devali celebrations take place over five days: the last three days of the month of Ashvin and the first two days of the next month of Kartik.
Dewali is a centuries-old tradition of festivities where each day has its own religious significance.

First day of Devali

The Devali festival begins on the 28th day of the month of Ashvin (the 13th day of Krishna Pakshi Ashvin). The 28th day of the lunar month is the 13th day of the second (dark) half of the lunar month.
The first day of Devali is called Dhan Triodashi, Dhantrayodashi. "Dhan" is translated as "wealth", and "Tryodashi" - "the thirteenth day".
The first day of the Devali festival is also called: "Dhanteras", "Dhanvantari Triodashi".
This is a day of worship of wealth, prayers for prosperity and well-being.
In the western Indian regions, merchants celebrate the start of a new financial year. In the tradition of celebrating the first day of Dewali, carrying out inventories of inventory and putting things in order at retail outlets, as well as performing rituals of worshiping accounting documents and metal coins.

Second day of Devali

On the 29th day of the month of Ashvin (the 14th day of Krishna-Pakshi Ashvin), the second day of the Devali festival is celebrated, which is called Naraka Chaturdashi. The second word of the name of this day of the holiday is translated as "the fourteenth day."
This day of Devali is dedicated to the victory of Krishnu over the demon Narakasura, symbolizing the victory of good over evil and light over darkness.
According to tradition, on the morning of this day, Hindus perform ablutions, in the courtyards and in front of the entrance they draw many complex rangoli. After prayer (puja) fires are lit.

Third day of Devali

On the 30th day of the month of Ashvin (15th day of Krishna-Pakshi Ashvin), the third day of the Devali festival is celebrated. This most important day of the Devali festivities is dedicated to the goddess of wealth and prosperity Lakshmi and is called "Lakshmi Puja" ("prayer to the goddess Lakshmi").
On the third day of Devali, prayers are offered throughout the country to the goddess Lakshmi and her incarnations (Ganesha and Kubera). By this time, the Indians are trying to put things in order in their homes, and in the evening, to receive the blessing of Lakshmi, light as many lights as possible.

Fourth day of Devali

The 1st day of the month of Kartik (1st day of Shukla Paksha Kartika) is the fourth day of Devali. The lunar month begins on the New Moon (Amavasya).
This day of Devali is celebrated in different ways.
In the northern regions of India, the fourth day of Devali is called "Govardhan Puja" ("Adoration of Govardhan Hill"). The custom of honoring the hill was introduced by Krishna. If possible, on this day, Indians visit Govardhan Hill for worship.
Small replicas of the hill are built in houses and temples. As a rule, from something edible, for example, from rice, and cover it with a cloth. Various sweets and delicacies are laid out on top of the fabric.
At night, it is customary to prepare many different dishes for offering to Krishna. This day of Devali is also called Annakut ("mountain of food").
Further south, in Maharashtra and other areas, the fourth day of Devali is called "Bali Pratipada" and dedicated to the king of the Asuras of Bali. "Pratipada" means "first day".
The reign of Bali was a time of prosperity, peace and prosperity. Wishing for the return of the "golden" time, the Indians on this day of the holiday present all kinds of gifts to the images of Bali being built.

Fifth day of Devali

The Devali celebration ends on the fifth day, which is the 2nd day of the month of Kartik (2nd day of Shukla Pakshi Kartik). This day of the holiday is called "Bhan Duj" or "Jamdutiya" ("Pit of Dvitiya"). This day of Devali is completely devoted to the god of death and justice Yama and his sister Yami. "Dvitiya" is translated as "second day".
According to an ancient tradition, in memory of the visit of the god Yama to the house of their sister Yami, the sisters invite the brothers to their home for a festive dinner, and also pray for their well-being and safety. In the evening, lights are lit everywhere.
The last, fifth day of Devali, as a rule, is the most cheerful and noisy day of the festivities.

New Year in Devali

Although most Hindus celebrate the New Year in the spring, in some areas of India (Marwari in Rajasthan, Gujaratis) and among the Newars, who make up the main population of Nepal, the New Year is celebrated during the Devali holiday.

Biruni on Diwali

Here is what in the first half of the eleventh century the great scholar from Khorezm Al-Biruni reports about the Devali holiday in his book “India”:

The first day of the month of Karttika, when there is a New Moon and the Sun is in the sign of Libra, is called "Deepali"("Dipali", "dybali"). On this day, people bathe, dress up and give each other betel leaves and fufal, and go to devagrihi to give alms and have fun until noon by playing. At night, they light many lamps everywhere, so that the whole sky is illuminated by them. The reason for this holiday is that Lakshmi, the wife of Vasudeva, frees Bali, the son of King Virochana, a prisoner of the seventh, lowest, earth, every year on this day and allows him to appear in the world. Therefore, this holiday is called balirajya (“blraj”), that is, “the dominion of Bali”. The Indians say: "This time was a time of prosperity in the Krita Yuga, and we are having fun because our day is similar to that time."

Diwali festival in India - festival of lights

Diwali (Deepavali) in India is one of the biggest Hindu festivals and is celebrated with great enthusiasm.

The holiday is celebrated for 5 days in a row, the 3rd day is considered the most important - it is at this time that the Festival of Lights takes place. For the holiday, colorful fireworks are arranged, traditional dipa lamps and candles are lit around their homes to attract the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi. Deepavali is often compared to the European New Year.

Meaning

The history of the Indian holiday of Diwali is replete with legends, which for the most part relate to Hindu religious scriptures. But the main theme of the legends symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Deepavali also marks the end of the rainy season and the beginning of winter. Farmers were completing their harvest, and merchants were preparing for long journeys. During this period, the worship of the goddess of abundance, wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi, becomes important.

Lighting the lights on Diwali in India is of great importance. For Hindus, darkness represents ignorance and light is a metaphor for knowledge. Through light, the beauty of the world is revealed. And in most religions, light is a symbol of any positive experience. Thus, through the kindling of fires, liberation from negative forces is carried out: deceit, violence, lust, anger, envy, hypocrisy, fear, injustice, oppression and suffering. Lighting a lamp is a form of god worship to achieve health, wealth, knowledge, peace, valor and glory.

Five days of Diwali

Day 1: Dhanvantari Triodashi (Dhana-Trayodashi)

This is the day when the god Dhanvantari was born from the ocean to bring the knowledge of Ayurveda to humanity.

At sunset, Hindus should bathe and offer a lighted lamp with prasadam (food offered to the deity) to the god Yamaraja, the lord of Death, and pray for protection from premature death. This should be done near the Tulasi tree or another sacred tree that grows in the yard.

On this day, it is customary to buy jewelry and dishes.

2nd day: Naraka Chaturdashi (Chhoti Diwali)

On the second day, they celebrate the victory of the god Krishna over the demon Narakasura and the liberation of the world from fear.

Fireworks are fired from that day on.

You should do a body massage with oil to get rid of fatigue, bathe and relax so that you can celebrate Diwali with all the energy available.

According to the shastras, the diya lamp should not be lit on this day. But some people still mistakenly believe that diya should always burn before Deepavali.

Day 3: Diwali – Lakshmi Puja

The most important day of the festival, which is the day of Diwali.

Mother Lakshmi is worshiped on this day.

It is extremely important that the house be perfectly cleaned, as Goddess Lakshmi loves cleanliness and on this day she will visit the cleanest house first.

Lanterns and lamps are lit in the evening to attract the goddess and illuminate her path.

The sounds of bells and drums can be heard from the temples. Fireworks are launched in the afternoon.

Lakshmi Puja (Skt. पूजा, Pūjā - “worship”, “prayer”) consists of the combined worship of five deities - Ganesha (the god of wisdom and prosperity); three hypostases of Lakshmi - Mahalakshmi (goddess of wealth and money), Mahasaraswati (goddess of books and learning), Mahakali (warrior goddess, protector from hostile forces.); Kubera (the guardian god of treasures buried in the earth).

4th day: Govardhana Puja

The fourth day of the holiday is the worship of Govardhan Hill and King Bali Maharaja.

On this day, Lord Krishna raised the Govardhan Parvat to protect the people of Gokul from the wrath of Indra, and the day that King Vikramaditya was crowned.

In the temples, the deities are given a milk bath and dressed in brilliant robes with sparkling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. Then sweets are offered to the deities, and then this prasadam is offered to those who come.

Day 5: Yama Dwitiya or Bhaya Duja

The last day of Diwali is dedicated to the love between brothers and sisters.

Sisters cook for their brothers and pray for their long life, and brothers bless their sisters and give them gifts.

Deepavali customs and traditions

We will not talk about the specifics of preparing festive prasadam and performing puja rituals, but we will talk about some popular traditions and customs of the Deepavali festival of lights.

Lanterns and lamps

Deepavali literally means "row of lamps" in Sanskrit. So the most recognizable tradition of the festival is the lighting of a large number of small clay lamps with oil - diya (also called diya, deepa, dipam or divak). Vegetable oil or ghee is poured into the middle of the diya and a cotton wick is dipped into it. Such lamps can be made independently by simply pouring a small amount of ordinary vegetable oil into a suitable form, and putting in it a long piece of cotton wool rolled up in the form of pasta. But be careful not to place lamps near flammable objects.

Rangoli is a prayer pattern, it is an ornament that is applied to the floor and walls of the house. To create drawings, bright multi-colored powders, flour and cereals are used. It is such a popular art in India that rangoli making competitions are held in schools and offices. Also in the houses they paint traces on the floor with flour, which symbolizes the expectation of the arrival of Lakshmi.

Petards and fireworks

The tradition of fireworks on Diwali is not very old, but it has already become an important part of the festival of lights. It is believed that fireworks scare away all evil from life.

gambling

One of the most curious customs of Diwali is the indulgence of gambling. This tradition is especially popular in North India. Just remember, games are not played for money, but for fun. According to legend, on this day, the goddess Parvati played dice with her husband Shiva and ordered that anyone who bet on Deepavali night would prosper throughout the next year. And a popular saying says that whoever does not sit down to gamble will be born as a donkey in the next life. Casinos and local gambling houses are busy trading throughout the week of Diwali.

Gift exchange

Giving gifts has always been one of the important rituals of the holiday. Diwali strengthens bonds with family members, friends and loved ones. Gifts can be very different, but especially popular: sweets, religious paraphernalia, diya lamps, silver and gold, new clothes and jewelry, handmade postcards.

Taking a bath - cleansing

On the second day of Diwali, before sunrise, it is customary to take a bath with oil and ubtan paste, which consists of nuts, flour, ground herbs and oils. It is necessary to cleanse and relax in such a way as to meet the holiday full of energy.

The Diwali festival is important in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism, and is celebrated wherever there are large communities of these religions: in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Nepal, Malaysia, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Mauritius and Fiji. And due to the increasing concentration of Indian immigrants and followers of the aforementioned religions, the celebration takes place in California, Seattle (USA), London (UK) and Singapore. But the best place to visit Diwali is in India! If you are already mentally prepared for such a trip, you can choose and book a hotel in India at our agency.

Those who will not be able to visit India for Diwali this year, but want to be rich, happy, cleanse themselves of darkness and follow the path of light, should follow the 14 recommendations that we gave in the story.

Well, for happiness to be certain, you will need a flashlight. This is not a traditional Indian Deepa, but similar. It decorates the house very much. Verified by personal experience.