What is Diwali, the festival of lights? How is it celebrated in India and the diaspora?

Diwali is the most important thing festival of the year in india – and for Hindus in particular.

It is celebrated by representatives of different faiths of more than a billion people in the world’s most populous country and in the diaspora. Over the course of five days, people take part in holiday meetingsfireworks, feasts and prayers.

Diwali comes from the word “Deepavali” which means “row of lights”. Participants light rows of traditional clay oil lamps outside their homes to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.

When is Diwali?

The festival dates are based on the Hindu lunar calendar and usually fall in late October or early November.

This year the holiday is celebrated on October 31 and November 1. In the US, Diwali falls on Halloween this year, which has sparked quite a few #Diwaloween memes on social media, where some celebrants can be seen lighting diyas in their scary costumes or distributing laddoos to trick-or-treaters.

What are the Hindu stories about Diwali?

Although Diwali is a major religious festival for Hindus, it is also celebrated by Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. The origins of Diwali vary depending on the region. All these stories have one main theme – the victory of good over evil.

In southern India, Diwali celebrates Lord Krishna’s victory in destroying the demon Naraka, who is said to have imprisoned women and tortured his subjects. In northern India, Diwali honors the triumphant return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana from a 14-year exile in the forest.

How is Diwali celebrated?

The festival brings with it a number of unique traditions that also vary by region. All holidays are united by lights, fireworks, feasts, new clothes and prayers.

— In southern India, many people take a warm oil bath early in the morning, which symbolizes bathing in the sacred Ganges River and is a form of physical and spiritual cleansing.

— In the north, the norm is to worship the goddess Lakshmi, who symbolizes wealth and prosperity.

Gambling is a popular tradition as it is believed that one who gambles on Diwali night will be prosperous throughout the year. Many people buy gold on the first day of Diwali, known as Dhanteras, an act they believe will bring them good luck.

Setting off firecrackers is a cherished tradition, as well as exchanging sweets and gifts among friends and family. Diwali celebrations are usually celebrated with rangoli – geometric floral designs drawn on the floor with colorful powders. Several northern Indian states, including the capital New Delhi, are imposing partial or complete bans on fireworks this year to combat rising pollution levels during Diwali.

What are the stories of Diwali in other faiths?

Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs have their own Diwali stories:

— Jains celebrate Diwali as the day when Lord Mahavira, the last of the great teachers, achieved nirvana, that is, liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

— Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Diwas, a day that coincides with Diwali, to commemorate the release of Guru Hargobind, a revered figure of the faith who was imprisoned for 12 years by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir.

— Buddhists celebrate the day when the Hindu emperor Ashoka, who reigned in the third century BC, converted to Buddhism.

New 2024: Diwali Barbie

This year, Mattel released its “Barbie Signature Diwali doll” from designer Anita Dongre, who wrote on Instagram that her Barbie represents “modern women who are fashion-forward and proudly wear India on their sleeve.”

Unlike her earliest version in 1996, which was dressed in a hot pink sari, or the 2012 avatar, which was packaged with a “monkey friend”, Diwali Barbie is fashionably dressed in a lehnga, an ankle-length skirt embroidered with motifs from home state of Dongre. Rajasthan: cropped blouse and vest.

Priced at $40, this doll sold out on Mattel’s website on the first day.

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