Source:- Google.com.pk
iwali also known as the "festival of lights", is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year.[2][3] The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair.[4][5][6] The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartik. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November.
Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes.[7] On Diwali night, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family puja typically to Lakshmi - the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After puja (prayers), fireworks follow,[8] then a family feast including mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Diwali also marks a major shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.[9]
Diwali is an important festival for Hindus. The name of festive days as well as the rituals of Diwali vary significantly among Hindus, based on the region of India. In many parts of India,[10] the festivities start with Dhanteras, followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on second day, Diwali on the third day, Diwali Padva dedicated to wife-husband relationship on the fourth day, and festivities end with Bhau-beej dedicated to sister-brother bond on the fifth day. Dhanteras usually falls eighteen days after Dussehra.
On the same night that Hindus celebrate Diwali, Jains celebrate a festival of lights to mark the attainment of moksha by Mahavira,[11][12] and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas.[13]
Diwali is an official holiday in India,[14] Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji.
Etymology[edit]
Diwali celebrations
Deepawali-festival.jpg
Indoor Diya decoration on Naraka Chaturdasi night
Diya necklace Dipavali Diwali November 2013.jpg
Outdoor Diya decoration on Diwali night
Aakash Kandils Diwali lighting Pune India 2013.jpg
Diwali lanterns before Dhanteras in Maharashtra
Glowing Swayambhu (3005358416).jpg
A Nepalese temple lighted up for Diwali
Diwali fireworks and lighting celebrations India 2012.jpg
Official Diwali celebrations in Mysore
Fireworks Diwali Chennai India November 2013 b.jpg
Diwali night fireworks over a city
Ganga At Nibi Gaharwar.jpg
Rural celebrations - floating Diya over river Ganges
Sweets Mithai for Diwali and other Festivals of India.jpg
Diwali Mithai (Sweets)
Diwali festivities include a celebration of sights, sounds, arts and flavors. The festivities vary between different regions.[15][16][17]
Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit fusion word Dīpāvali, formed from dīpa (दीप, "light" or "lamp"[18][19]) and āvalī (आवली, "series, line, row"[20]). Dīpāvali or Deepavalli thus meant a "row" or "series of lights".[21] Its celebration include millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings in the communities and countries where it is observed.[15]
Diwali (English pronunciation: /dɨˈwɑːliː/) is variously spelled or pronounced in diverse languages of India: 'deepabali' (Oriya: ଦିପାବଲି), 'deepaboli' (Bengali: দীপাবলী), 'deepavali' (Assamese: দীপাৱলী, Kannada: ದೀಪಾವಳಿ, Malayalam: ദീപാവലി, Tamil: தீபாவளி and Telugu: దీపావళి), 'divali' (Gujarati: દિવાળી, Hindi: दिवाली, Marathi: दिवाळी, Punjabi: ਦੀਵਾਲੀ), 'diyari' Sindhi: दियारी, and 'tihar' Nepali: तिहार.
History[edit]
Diwali dates back to ancient times in India, as a festival after the summer harvest in the Hindu calendar month of Karthikai. The festival is mentioned in Padma Purana, the Skanda Purana, and other Sanskrit Hindu scriptures; the divas (lamps) are mentioned in Skanda Purana to symbolically represent parts of sun, the cosmic giver of light and energy to all life, who seasonally transitions in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik.[16][22]
Significance[edit]
Diwali is one of the happiest of holidays in India, with significant preparations. People clean their homes and decorate them for the festivities. Diwali is one of the biggest shopping seasons in India; people buy new clothes for themselves and their families, gifts, appliances, kitchen utensils, small to big ticket items such as cars and gold jewelry.[23] People also buy gifts for family members and friends which typically includes sweets, dry fruits and seasonal specialities depending on regional harvest and customs. It is also the period when little kids hear ancient stories, legends, myths and battle between good and evil, light and darkness from their parents and elders. Girls and women go shopping, and create rangoli and other creative patterns on floors, near doors and walkways. Youth and grown ups graduate to helping with lighting and preparing for patakhe (fireworks).[17][24]
There is significant variation in regional practices and rituals. Depending on the region, prayers are offered before one or more deities, with most common being Lakshmi - the goddess of wealth and prosperity. On Diwali night, fireworks light up the neighborhood skies. Later, family members and invited friends celebrate the night over food and sweets.[17][24]
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
Rangoli Sweets Rangoli Designs Ranaut Kolam Designs with Dots Images with Dots Patters Designs with Flowers Photo.
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