DIWALI: A FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, TOGETHERNESS AND HAPPINESS

Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fun every year.

Mostly, diwali is celebrated for five days.

First day: Dhanteras- worshipping of Lord Yama and buying metal objects.

Second day: choti diwali or Narak Chaturdashi

Third day: Diwali- Lakshmi puja and Ganesh puja is done on this day.

Fourth day: Govardhan puja is performed.

Fifth day: Bhai dooj- the day is dedicated to brothers and sisters.


Diwali is celebrated with unifying fervor, traditions and flavours that vary from region to region. There are as many different ways to mark the festival all over India as there are different communities.

The main difference between Diwali of north India and South India is that it is called Deepawali in southern parts. They also celebrate this festival a day before North India does. Also, it doesn’t mark the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, but it graces the day when Lord Krishna killed the demon Narakasura after a fierce battle. It is believed that Lord Krishna vanquished the demon, had an oil massage and then a hot bath. So in the memory of Lord, south Indians begin the day by oiling their bodies and then having a bath just as Lord Krishna. After bath, the ritual of Ganga snanam is over. People wear new clothes and do the festivities.


Talking about the Maharashtra, here’s an amalgamation of north Indian and south Indian traditions. They celebrate Narak Chaturdashi a day before diwali to mark the victory of Lord Krishna over Narakasura. But their day begins with Abhyang snan, unlike Ganga snanam. Before the ritual hot bath, a special ubtan made from sandalwood, camphor, rose, orange skin, turmeric etc. is used. And then finally on the day of Diwali, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped.


Having a look at the eastern part of the country and Bengal, worshipping of Lakshmi is not a custom. Rather they worship Goddess Kali, the fierce Goddess. Infact festival is described as Kali puja rather than Diwali. Kali is known for fierceness as she killed all the demons in her parh and used their heads as a garland around her neck. When the Gods wanted to stop her, they sent her husband Lord Shiva, who lay down on her path. In her anger, Kali stepped on him too before realising her mistake. So Bengalis worship this fierce incarnation of Devi at midnight.


Gujaratis worship the goddess of wealth on this day. For them, Diwali is just like the last day of the year. Next year, the following diwali, is celebrated as Bestu Varas or New Year’s day. For gujaratis, it’s the wish of ‘Saal mubarak’ that dominates over the wish of ‘happy diwali’.


The hindu community of Punjab follow the standard north Indian pattern of celebrating Diwali with Lakshmi puja. The sikhs mark this date because this was when Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, was released from prison by Emperor Jahangir in 1619, along with 52 princes whose release he secured. In this light, the Golden temple is adorned with lights and divas. So basically sikhs of Punjab celebrate it as ‘Bandhi Choor Divas’ that is prisoner release day.


The final word

All the illumination and fireworks, joy and festivity, symbolise the triumph of divine forces over those of wickedness, or rather of good over evil.