Diwali - victory of light over darkness

India is a country which is quite famous for its festivals. Diwali, being the most important festivals for Hindus in India. The nation is known for itsgreat celebrations, so it is very obvious that Diwali won’t only be a daylong celebration. It’s a 5 days long celebrated festival starting with Dhanteras and ending with BhaiDooj. It is as important to Hindus as Christmas is to the rest of the world. Although it is not only popular among Hindus it is also very popular among other religions as well.

The elegance of the country is at its peak during this time of the year. The word Diwali comeby breaking the word into two. “Deepa” meaning earthen lamps and “avali” meaning in a row. It simply means a row if earthen lamps. It is typically celebrated during the onset of Autumn season. People from all the cultures come together as one to celebrate this beautiful festival of lights. Everything from houses to streets to temples to other sacred places, everything is decorated especially with lamps and diyas.

Diwali is also that time of the year when the markets are flushed with people and vendors. It’s the peak time for all the Indians to buy something new, especially on Dhanteras. Many fairs are organized during this time. Shops selling fireworks and sweets are particularly crowded during this time. Tourists who wish to witness the togetherness and also togetherness of different cultures of India, this time of the year is perfect for them.

Since there are plenty of religions followed in every states of India, every religion has a different mythological story to tell, about how this beautiful day came into existence. But one similarity which all of them showcase is that that light always prevails darkness and good wins over evil. According to the Hindu calendar, Diwali is often celebrated on the darkest day of the year, but the significance of the festival itself lieshere, the festival of lights being celebrated on the darkest day!

• Day one of Diwali celebrations is Dhanteras. This day is the beginning of the five-dayfestivities. All the Hindus clean their houses and office premises and light the earthen lamps or diyas at the entrance of both. This is a very auspicious day to buy something new like utensils and jewelry.Diyas are also lit in front of goddess Lakshmi’s and Lord Ganapati’s idol as they are the Gods of health and wealth.On this day, havans are done as a part of cleansing ritual. The female members and kids of the family make rangoli in front of their houses and the entrance of offices. This rangoli could be made out of flower petals or colored sand.
• Day two is known as choti Diwali which means little Diwali. This day is simply celebrated to mark peace within the families and relatives. This is the day when all the relatives and friends take out time from their busy schedule to meet and greet each other with gifts and sweets. Homemade Indian delicacies are offered to the guests. For tourists who are interested in traditional Indian food must definitely visit any North Indian place and enjoy traditional flavors of India.However, in South India, states like Karnataka, Goa and Tamil Nadu celebrate their main Diwali on this day itself.
• Day three is Lakshmi puja or main day of Diwali.At dusk, people dress up to look their best and thank goddess Lakshmi for all the wealth provided by her to the family. The young members of the family receive gifts from the elderly. Members of the family offer each other sweets or traditionally called mithai. After the puja, firecrackers are lit and the earthen lamps ordiyas are placed at the entrance of the house and offices as a sign to welcome goddess Lakshmi.Diyas are also lit at sacred places and are also made to float over the sacred rivers, all this makes the atmosphere even more elegant.
• Day four is the Annakut or Goverdhan puja. On this day, a variety of food items are made in the households and put on display, after the puja is done, all the members of the family come together to enjoy this feast.This day also has a lot of different mythological stories related to it. The main significance is however over the newlyweds or the couples of the family.In Gujarat, this day marks the first day of new year, so it is considered as good luck to visit a temple on this day.
• Day five is the day BhaiDooj is celebrated. The bond of abrother and sister is celebrated on this day. Brothers are made to sit, and the puja is done by their sisters for them. A tilak or vermilion colored mark on forehead of the brother marks the end if the puja. Rice puffs, sugar candy and cow dung are turned into a mixture and are tapped with a piece of stone repeatedly while singing folklores. This symbolizes that the sister is killing all of her brother’s enemies and saving his life.

Visiting any part of India during this time of the year would be great fun as there are melas or fairs on the street for the entertainment of the masses. This particular time period also marks a great hike in the shopping activities. The market of gold, in particular, makes the most profits as people of India prefer to buy a lot of gold jewelry at this time.

Diwali, in India, is a time which brings together all the members of the family and distant relatives. While celebrating this festival, people from different economic backgrounds come together and celebrate this festival as one. In a country of over a billion people living in it, but this one single festival brings all those billions of people together. This festival has an essence of togetherness and enthusiasm in it. The essence of this festival is so powerful that it unites all the people of different caste, color or creed to come together and witness the happiness as one big happy soul.