The Diwali festival dates back to ancient times in India. This year's date of celebration starts November 14, 2020. . 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. In 2022, Diwali falls on October 24th which is a new moon day or Amavasya. One of the earliest reports on this variation was by Wilson in 1847.
Here's how India is celebrating Diwali - NPR.org Diwali Celebrations Dates in Different Regions Diwali 2023 (Deepavali 2023) is on Sunday, November 12th in India.
Diwali 2021: Significance, history, date, time, puja muhurat and all Complete guide to visiting India during Diwali - Explore With Lora Naraka Chaturdashi is the second day of the festival on November 3. [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. Diwali is observed as a Gazetted Holiday throughout the nation. Diwali or Deepavali - "The festival of lights" is one of the most important festivals for Hindus. [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. It is a national holiday in India which marks its independence from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947. Many participate in other socio-political events as a symbol of support for diversity and inclusiveness. Each day has a special significance as follows. [29][30] Newar Buddhists in Nepalese valleys also celebrate the Diwali festival over five days, in much the same way, and on the same days, as the Nepalese Hindu Diwali-Tihar festival. Diwali is celebrated in the Hindu month of Kartik. [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 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). [56], Diwali was also described by numerous travelers from outside India. The third day is Diwali and the height of the festival. He explained that though the actual Hindu festival day is the same, it is identified differently in regional calendars because there are two traditions in the Hindu calendar. Diwali is celebrated in the Hindu month of Kartik. 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 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. It's observed on the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. More Topics But when Diwali occurs in the calendar changes every year. [60] It is mentioned in the Ramayana that Diwali was celebrated for only 2 years in Ayodhya. When people are exposed to these pollutant particles, they may suffer from eye, nose, and throat-related problems. [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. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1539426. The fourth day, known as GoverdhanPuja,Balipratipada,or Annakut, commemorating Krishnas defeat of Indra, the king of the gods, is also the first day of Karttika and the start of the new year in the Vikrama (Hindu) calendar.
25 Diwali Facts - Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays They celebrate by lighting lamps, decorating temples and monasteries, and worshipping the Buddha. Since the 18th century, Diwali has been celebrated in Sikhism as the time of Guru Hargobinds return to Amritsar from captivity in Gwalior, an echo of Lord Ramas return to Ayodhya. 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 ). The duration will be 1 hour 56 minutes. [134], On the night of Diwali, rituals across much of India are dedicated to Lakshmi to welcome her into their cleaned homes and bring prosperity and happiness for the coming year. These purchases are often gold and silver items or new utensils. [109] Textual evidence suggests that Bengali Hindus worshipped Lakshmi before the colonial era, and that the Kali puja is a more recent phenomenon. [123], This day is commonly celebrated as Diwali in Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Karnataka. People often think of Diwali as a Hindu festival, but it is also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains . The legislation will come into effect next year, and Diwali will replace Anniversary Day, which is also known as Brooklyn-Queens Day, so that schools can still deliver the 180-day requirement of . Answer (1 of 6): Hindus do not follow date system. [79], Hindus of eastern India associate the festival with the Goddess Kali, who symbolises the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated in October or November each year. [12][114] Families also prepare homemade delicacies for Lakshmi Pujan, regarded as the main day of Diwali.
What is Diwali? All About the 2022 Festival of Lights [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). In his 11th-century memoir on India, the Persian traveler and historian Al Biruni wrote of Deepavali being celebrated by Hindus on the day of the New Moon in the month of Kartika. ", Christopher H. Johnson, Simon Teuscher & David Warren Sabean 2011, India Journal: Tis the Season to be Shopping, Pakistan parliament adopts resolution for Holi, Diwali, Easter holidays, "The Svanti Festival: Victory over Death and the Renewal of the Ritual Cycle in Nepal", "Diwali Festival 2020 India:Date,Story,Celebration,Diwali Special Gift", "Krishna Killed Narakasur - The Narakasur Legend of Diwali - Diwali Legend", Diwali Celebrating the triumph of goodness, "2020 Yama Deepam date and timings for New Delhi, NCT, India", "The 'Yam-deep' or 'Jam ke Deeya' SWAHA International", "Significance of Yama Deepam on Diwali Eve", "Choti Diwali 2020 date: Kali Chaudas significance, when and how to celebrate", "2020 Hanuman Puja date and time during Diwali for New Delhi, NCT, India", If You Missed Diwali in India, Dallas Is the Place to Be, Manchester Dashehra and Diwali Mela plans announced, Festive season to boost India gold buying, India's banks face pre-Diwali cash crunch, Diwali lights up consumer spending, festive spirit beats inflation, Fear Of Toxic Smog Leads India To Limit Diwali Fireworks, Firework Facts: Americans Incinerate $1 Billion in July Fourth Fireworks Every Year, Oneline sales may surpass Rs 30000 crores in festive months, Average family to spend Rs. There are many stories around the celebration of Diwali. The word "Deepavali" means "a row of lights" in Sanskrit, and its origins were likely as an ancient harvest festival. The word "avali" means row and "deepa . This year, Diwali will be on Thursday, Nov. 4.
What Is Diwali? Here's What to Know About the Holiday [116] The term Dhan for this day also alludes to the Ayurvedic icon Dhanvantari, the god of health and healing, who is believed to have emerged from the "churning of cosmic ocean" on the same day as Lakshmi.
5 Days of Diwali in India - timesproperty.com The Hindu lunar calendar has two parts: dark (Krishna paksha, or "waning moon" in Sanskrit) and light (hukla paksha, or "waxing moon"), and the new moon (amavasya) always occurs in between the parts, typically on the 15th. This legend is remembered through the ritual of building small mountain-like miniatures from cow dung. [174][175] Barack Obama became the first president to personally attend Diwali at the White House in 2009. [124], As the evening approaches, celebrants will wear new clothes or their best outfits, teenage girls and women, in particular, wear saris and jewelry. [41], Diwali (English: /dwli/)[9] or Divali[44] is from the Sanskrit dpvali meaning "row or series of lights". [124][128] Shops either do not open or close early on this day allowing employees to enjoy family time. Learn Religions. The darkest night is the apex of the celebration and coincides with the second half of October or early November in the Gregorian calendar. According to a Government of Himachal Pradesh and India publication, the Vishvakarma puja is observed on the fourth day of Diwali in the Himalayan state. Updates? [141][142] In another interpretation, it is thought to reference the legend of Parvati and her husband Shiva playing a game of dyuta (dice) on a board of twelve squares and thirty pieces, Parvati wins. Diwali is celebrated on the 15th day of Kartik which is considered as the most serene months according to the Hindu Lunar calendar. The Lacshmipuja dipanwita, remarked Jones, was a "great festival at night, in honour of Lakshmi, with illuminations on trees and houses".[68][f]. [186], (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority, (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies. [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. 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 the biggest holiday of the year in India. [151], During the season of Diwali, numerous rural townships and villages host melas,[152] or fairs, where local producers and artisans trade produce and goods. 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. The day of Diwali itself falls on November 4.. Such events are also mentioned in Sikh historical records. Monier Monier Williams (2008 updated, Harvard University), Sanskrit English dictionary, . Also known as the 'festival of lights', the celebration usually lasts for five days. [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.
When is Diwali this year and how to celebrate the Festival of Lights [86][87], Trade and merchant families and others also offer prayers to Saraswati, who embodies music, literature and learning and Kubera, who symbolises book-keeping, treasury and wealth management. On this day, Lord Dhanwantari came out of the ocean with Ayurvedic for mankind. Diwali was not a public holiday in Pakistan from 1947 to 2016. *
[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. Ritually, in honour of Lakshmi, the female player always wins.
When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? Dates for 2020 to 2025 - Learn Religions On that day sisters pray for the success and well-being of their brothers.
When is Diwali 2022: What is Diwali, who celebrates it and how to wish In 2013, about 25 billion (US$310million) of fireworks were sold to merchants for the Diwali season, an equivalent retail value of about 50 billion (US$630million) according to The Times of India.
Happy Diwali 2022: how will the festival of lights be celebrated this year? [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. It's a celebration that takes place 15 days after Diwali - the Hindu festival of lights. On this day, sisters will give gifts to their brothers and invite them to enjoy a meal. [128][95], The day after Diwali is the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartik. The fifth day, called Bhai Dooj, Bhai Tika, or Bhai Bij, celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. The dates change each year because they are based on the Hindu lunar calendar, but it typically happens in October and November. [116] Some communities, particularly those active in Ayurvedic and health-related professions, pray or perform havan rituals to Dhanvantari on Dhanteras. This is followed by Choti Diwali the next day and Diwali on November 4. Lasting over five days, the holiday is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs worldwide. The Diwali-related inscription is the 4th inscription and it includes the year Vikrama Era 1268 (c. 1211 CE). amnta / primnta.
Diwali 2021: Here's all you need to know about why Diwali - Firstpost DIWALI - Changes Annually - National Day Calendar This festival gets its name from "Deepa" meaning "Light" and "Avali" meaning "Row". 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). It is well preserved on the north wall of the second. According to Pintchman, the start of the 5-day Diwali festival is stated in some popular contemporary sources as the day Goddess Lakshmi was born from Samudra manthan, the churning of the cosmic ocean of milk by the Devas (gods) and the Asuras (demons) a Vedic legend that is also found in several Puranas such as the Padma Purana, while the night of Diwali is when Lakshmi chose and wed Vishnu. It is usually celebrated on October or November every year.
Diwali is officially made a school holiday in New York City [116], On Yama Deepam (also known as Yama Dipadana or Jam ke Diya), Hindus light a diya, ideally made of wheat flour and filled with sesame oil, that faces south in the back of their homes. Though technically religious, it's also become a cultural event in North America that's celebrated with sweets and special foods. They also spend time with family and friends to enjoy good food and fireworks. He has written several books about Hinduism for children and young adults. This festive day is interpreted by some to symbolise Yama's sister Yamuna welcoming Yama with a tilaka, while others interpret it as the arrival of Krishna at his sister Subhadra's place after defeating Narakasura. [120] The term "chhoti" means little, while "Naraka" means hell and "Chaturdashi" means "fourteenth". 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. 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. October 18, 2019 By Simran Jeet Singh (RNS) With more than a billion people celebrating Diwali every year, the festival is one of the largest and most significant religious observances. [43], The puja and rituals in the Bengali Hindu community focus on Kali, the goddess of war, instead of Lakshmi. [43] The lamps from the puja ceremony are then used to light more earthenware lamps, which are placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses,[130] while some diyas are set adrift on rivers and streams. 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. Diwali is known as the festival of lights in India. [171][172] Since 2009, Diwali has been celebrated every year at 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British Prime Minister. This year, celebrations began on Saturday, with the "main Diwali " falling today, Monday October 24, which marks the . The festival of Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom after defeating Ravana. This begins with the first day known as "Dhanteras' or the worship of wealth.
When is Diwali celebrated every year? - Quora How to Celebrate Diwali this Year - 5280 This is done via a bathing ritual called Abhyanga Snan. "When Is Diwali (Deepavali)?
Everything to Know About Diwali, the 'Festival of Lights' Diwali is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Hindu month of Kartika and, much like Easter, the date changes every year. [183] These invisible yet harmful particles affect the environment and in turn, put people's health at stake. [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. It coincides with the day of Kali Chaudas. The doors and windows of houses are kept open in the hope that Lakshmi will find her way inside and bless the residents with wealth and success. 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. [12] Chhoti Diwali is also a day for visiting friends, business associates and relatives, and exchanging gifts. Some celebrate Diwali as a commemoration of the marriage of Lakshmi and Vishnu, while othersobserve it as the birthday of Lakshmi. Diwali, also known as Deepavali, falls on 4 November this year. In Bengal the goddess Kali is worshipped. At such events a variety of music, dance and arts performances, food, crafts, and cultural celebrations are featured. [124] Many visit their favourite Hindu temple. In 2023, Diwali is on November 12. 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. Spiritually, Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. [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. [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. In 2022, the five days of Diwali begin on October 22, with the most important festival date taking place on October 24. Every year on the darkest night in the northern hemisphere, millions illuminate their homes and streets to celebrate the victory of good over evil. [81], Many Hindus associate the festival with Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and wife of Vishnu. Diwali lasts five days, and the main celebrations are held on the third day of the festival. [117] Some Hindus observe Yama Deepa on the second night before the main day of Diwali.[118][119]. It is celebrated for five days across India and other parts of southern Asia, as well as in many other places around the world. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Major temples and homes are decorated with lights, festive foods shared with all, friends and relatives remembered and visited with gifts. The Diwali festival actually runs for five days, with the main event happening on the third day in most places in India. [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. 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. [n] Vishwakarma is the presiding Hindu deity for those in architecture, building, manufacturing, textile work and crafts trades. This means that Diwali kicks off on Oct. 22 and is celebrated through Oct. 26,. It also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. Historical records appear inconsistent about the name of the lunar month in which Diwali is observed. [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. Diwali is an important festival in Jainism. On the Gregorian calendar, the festival falls between October and November. It's observed on the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. [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. The dates of Diwali change every year as it dependent on the moon cycle. Diwali symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". 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 . A lunar half-month is 15 days. Diwali usually falls in October or November. Important Read: Tips to Celebrate Diwali in 2021 History and Significance of Diwali 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. [23] Some Hindus, Jains and Sikhs will send Diwali greeting cards to family near and far during the festive season, occasionally with boxes of Indian confectionery.
When is Diwali 2022? What to know the festival of lights - Deseret News This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Diwali-Hindu-festival, Diwali - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Diwali - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). 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 India's most important holidayand a - History The main festival is on Sunday, but festivities begin on Friday, a day called Dhanteras. The incredible amount of fireworks and firecrackers set off during the five days of Diwali have become an issue in many Indian cities, to the point that ambient air and noise during Diwali are considered somewhat of a health hazard. [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. [140] It is regionally called Annakut (heap of grain), Padwa, Goverdhan puja, Bali Pratipada, Bali Padyami, Kartik Shukla Pratipada and other names. For example, the Singaporean government, in association with the Hindu Endowment Board of Singapore, organises many cultural events during Diwali every year. Also known as the festival of lights, it's celebrated by Sikhs, Hindus, Jains and some Buddhists. 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". [43], The artisan Hindu and Sikh community celebrates the fourth day as the Vishwakarma puja day. In South India the festival marks Krishnas defeat of the demon Narakasura. Hindu temples on this day prepare and present "mountains of sweets" to the faithful who have gathered for darshan (visit). Diwali is the Indian "festival of lights"a holiday that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. This is believed to please Yama (Yamraj), the god of death, and to ward off untimely death. Diwali falls on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Kartik, which is the new moon day of the first month of the lunar year. [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. Subhamoy Das is the co-author of "Applied Hinduism: Ancient Wisdom for Today's World." Diwali festivities include a celebration of sights, sounds, arts and flavours. Because Diwali is such a meaningful celebration, festivities are often planned years in advance. Some Hindu communities mark the last day as Bhai Dooj or the regional equivalent, which is dedicated to the bond between sister and brother,[111] while other Hindu and Sikh craftsmen communities mark this day as Vishwakarma Puja and observe it by performing maintenance in their work spaces and offering prayers. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. It celebrates the sister-brother bond, similar in spirit to Raksha Bandhan but it is the brother that travels to meet the sister and her family. It coincides with the new moon (amvasy) and is deemed the darkest night of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. Although most important for Hindus, the festival is also observed by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. For planning purposes, here are the dates for the main celebrations for Diwali for the next few years: 2019: Sunday, October 27 (starts on October 25, ends on October 29) 2020: Saturday, November 14 (November 12-16) 2021: Thursday, November 4 (November 2-6) 2022: Monday, October 24 (October 22-26) 2023: Wednesday, November 7 (November 5-9) Dates for 2020 to 2025." It is observed on the 15th day of the 8th month (the month of Kartik) in India's calendar. [m] Contemporary Bengali celebrations mirror those found elsewhere, with teenage boys playing with fireworks and the sharing of festive food with family, but with the Shakti goddess Kali as the focus. When is Diwali? Holi Dates: When is Holi in 2021, 2022 and 2023? Here is the schedule for Diwali 2022: Day 1: October 22, 2022 Trayodashi - Dhanteras; Day 2: October 23, 2022 Chaturdashi - Choti Diwali; Day 3: October 24, 2022 Amavasya - Diwali [53][54], The five-day long festival originated in the Indian subcontinent and is likely a fusion of harvest festivals in ancient India. 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].