Deepavali festival of lights, celebrations in different states, diya decoration, dates based on lunar calendar

Indians celebrate one or the other festival all round the year. These celebrations are to show gratitude towards nature almighty who is the creator and saviour. One of the most famous festival celebrated throughout India is deepavali or diwali. Deepavali is the festival of lights.

Deepavali is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm which takes us from darkness to light. This festival has more mythological and religious importance. It brings cheerfulness and creates charismatic environment to our life. Deepavali signifies the transformation of one's self from ignorance to consciousness.

Deepavali is celebrated for five days. Different religious rituals are followed in different parts of India. Celebrations differs from place to place. Special food is prepared and sweets are exchanged, new clothes are bought as part of festival. Bursting of crackers is also part of the festival. Most important part of Deepavali festival is light decoration.

Significance of Deepavali or Diwali

Deepavali is celebrated in remembrance of the day, Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after being exiled for 14 years. When Lord Rama defeated Ravana and returned to Ayodhya, he was welcomed by lighting diyas throughout kingdom. It also symbolises the victory of good over evil. It is also celebrated as a day which symbolises the marriage of Lord Vishnu with Lakshmi.

Lighting of lamps signifies triumph of good over evil, which brings positivity among us. Worshipping God, meeting people makes the atmosphere joyful and vibrant. people belonging to different religions are also unite to celebrate Deepavali which brings harmony in society. In this modern age, every one is living with stress and anxiety due to their hectic life and responsibilities. This festival makes them relaxed and brings positive change in them. Deepavali symbolises the transformation from ignorance to consciousness. This auspicious period is beginning of our journey towards healthier, a good being and enlightenment.

How people prepare for Deepavali

Hindus around the world celebrate Deepavali. Deepavali starts with cleaning the house and office spaces, purchasing new clothes and household items for house which is considered auspicious. Decluttering the house brings positivity in our mind.

Pushya Nakshathra on Deepavali day is considered as an auspicious time to purchase gold and other valuables. It is also considered good time for investment. It is believed that purchasing gold or valuables in this auspicious time brings prosperity, fortune and success.

Market and shops are buzz with discount sale. New road side shops are filled with earthen oil lamps of different variety designs including idols of Gods, electrical lights and other decoration items for the festival. Many shops sell different variety of sweets as people exchange sweets during Deepavali.

Malls and other commercial outlets offer discount sale of variety of products and people buy it and exchange gifts with friends and relatives. Excited customers shop new clothes and gift items for celebration Everyone is busy in buying pooja items and decorative items for house and office spaces. As part of Deepavali some people even return their loan amounts.

Light decoration is done in houses and commercial spaces and in streets. Vibrant coloured lights around creates pleasant feeling in everyone's mind.

How Deepavali is celebrated

Deepavali is celebrated for five days. Different religious rituals are performed on each day changes from place to place.

On all five days of festival, people worship different god for prosperity and good life. They wear new clothes, decorate houses with flowers and lights. They prepare special festival dish on each day and they offer it to god as naivedya and then it is served to family members. People exchange gifts and sweets among friends and relatives. They lit lamps at night and burst crackers.

Deepavali based on lunar calendar

Deepavali celebrated last four days of krishna paksha of ashvayuja month. It starts from thrayodashi day of where it is celebrated as neeru thumbuva habba, the next day is chathurdahi is naraka chathurdashi and third day is amvasya or new moon day Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped and the fourth day is celebrated as balipadyami. Next day is celebrated as yamadwitheeya.

Deepavali dates on 2020

Deepavali in 2020 falls in November. 13th Friday is the first day of Deepavali celebrated as neeru thumbuva habba. 14th November is naraka chathurdashi and next day is amavasya, on this day Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped. 16th November is celebrated as balipadyami and next day is celebrated as bhai dooj.

Mythological importance of Deepavali

Five days celebration includes neeru thumbuva habba, naraka chathurdashi, lakshmi pooja and baleendra pooja and yamadwitheeya.

Naraka chathurdashi is celebrated in remembrance of narakasura killing by lord Vishnu and baleendra pooja in remembrance of killing of bali by vamana, Lord Vishnu incarnation. It is also celebrated as the day Rama came back to ayodhya from his exile for 14 years. His victory over ravana is remembered as victory over evil. Goddess of wealth Lakshmi is worshipped on amavasya or new moon day.

How Diwali is celebrated in north India

In north India, first day of Diwali is celebrated as Dhanteras. On that day people worship Lord Yama and they buy metal objects made of gold, silver, copper utensils for home and offices as it is believed auspicious. Second of Diwali is celebrated as roop chaturdashi or naraka chathurdashi. On third day, they worship Goddess Lakshmi and Ganesh. Fouth day Govardhan is worshipped. Fifth day is celebrated as Bhai Dooj or Bhai Tika. On that day sisters worship god and pray for their brothers, for long and prosperous life.

As part of celebrations shopping is done to buy new clothes and other gifts and sweets for relatives and friends. Candles and earthen diyas are lit in houses and office spaces. Electric lights decoration is seen in streets, commercial shops and malls. Market and malls are decorated with lights to attract customers.

During five days festival, each day, families come together and create beautiful rangolis in front of their houses, in pooja room. They decorate the house with decorating lamps and flowers. Earthen lamps are lit at night creates vibrant atmosphere in and around the house. Each day God is worshipped and special naivedya is prepared and offered to God first and then festival lunch is served to all the family members. In evening it is the time to burst crackers, where children and family members gather outside the house or in terrace. With elders advice of caution, children carefully burst crackers and elders also enjoy bursting crackers.

How Deepavali celebrated in south India

In South India, Deepavali celebrations starts on Ashvija Krishna Thrayodashi and on that day sweet dish called kadubu is prepared using sweet melon. At night all the bathing vessels are cleaned and washed and filled with clean water and worhsipped. This pooja is called neeru thumbuva habba. The next day people get up early in morning called brahmi muhurtha and take oil bath. Symbolically oil bath indicates the new beginning, leaving behind negativity. On our health part, oil bath rejuvenates our body and improves our health of skin.

On amavasya or new moon day Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for prosperity. Lakshmi pooja is performed in homes, offices and other commercial spaces. Homes and offices are decorated with Mango tree leaves thorana and garlands of flowers. Earthen lamps are lit and artificial lights are also used to decorate houses and offices. After Lakshmi pooja sweets served to the invitees. In houses also special food is prepared to offer God as naivedya.

On fouth day it is Balipadyami, is celebrated on the occasion, Vamana, Vishnu incarnation, killed asura king Bali by stamping on him. Baleendra murthy is created by using mud and it is placed in front of Tulsi mantap and it is worshipped by offering flowers and naivedya. Early morning cows are worshipped. Cows are washed and cleaned and they are decorated with garland of flowers. Haridra and kumkum are applied on them and special food prepared is served to the cows.

As part of the celebration, special food is prepared in every houses where kayi holige, or obbattu made of coconut, jaggery, ghee and maida is prepared, payasam, a sweet dish is prepared with other varieties of dishes on this day. At night earthen oil lamps lit at the doorways, pooja room, at the gate of the house and in every corners of the house. Family members gather to burst crackers with excitement.

In many south Indian villages it is a custom to light up the fields and garden with torch, which is specially prepared, a cloth wet with oil is wrapped around one end of rod like wooden piece.This is lit at night at paddy fields and country yards.

Public life on Deepavali day

On the festival day banks, governments offices, post offices are closed and it is public holiday for celebration. Some commercial shops opens for limited hours for enthusiastic customers. But sweet shops, diya shops, gift shops remain open as customer are eager to buy the things on festival days also.

Light or diya decoration on diwali

As Deepavali is the festival of lights, light decoration is one of the main tradition to follow. Traditionally people were using earthen lamps and metal lamps, lanterns to decorate. But nowadays artificial lights and lanterns available in variety of colours and sizes. Streets are decorated with artificial lights only. But in temples and houses people lit oil lamps mainly. It is a tradition to hang a goodudeepa or lantern in many houses, outside the entrance of the house which always a symbol of Deepavali. Usually sesame oil is used to lit earthen lamps.

Crackers on Deepavali

Diwali is the festival of lights and it is not complete without bursting of crackers. Traditionally it was celebrated only lighting lamps and lanterns, but in modern days bursting of crackers is part of the celebration. It is everyone's responsibility to take personal care during bursting of crackers and minimise the pollution it causes the environment.

Supreme Court order on bursting of crackers

As per Supreme Court modified order, it fixed 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm as a slot for bursting of crackers in Deepavali or any other festivals or occasions. Court also ordered allowing the manufacture and sale of green crackers, which is for the Delhi-NCR and it is not applicable across the country.

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The opinions expressed herein are authors personal opinions and do not represent any one's view in anyway, do not use this information to diagnose or treat your problem without consulting your physician. Remedies here mentioned are used for ages may not be clinically proven.

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