[124][128] Shops either do not open or close early on this day allowing employees to enjoy family time. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning row of lights. The festival generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. The holiday overlaps with the Hindu New Year and as a result is associated with a chance to reset and start anew. The dates change each year because they are based on the Hindu lunar calendar, but it typically happens in October and November. Facts about Diwali 1) Diwali is an important religious festival originating in India. [166] Stock markets like NSE and BSE in India are typically closed during Diwali, with the exception of a Diwali Muhurat trading session for an hour in the evening to coincide with the beginning of the new year. [128][95], The day after Diwali is the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartik. . Diwali's date is determined by the India calendar and changes every year, ranging from October to November. [81], Many Hindus associate the festival with Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and wife of Vishnu. (2021, September 4). Cook, Sharell. This year, it begins in the first week of November from 2nd-6th. The Diwali-related inscription is the 4th inscription and it includes the year Vikrama Era 1268 (c. 1211 CE). The Jain Diwali celebrated in many parts of India has similar practices to the Hindu Diwali, such as the lighting of lamps and the offering of prayers to Lakshmi. Diwali is celebrated in the Hindu month of Kartik. [52] In Nepal, it is also a multiday festival, although the days and rituals are named differently, with the climax being called the Tihar festival by Hindus and Swanti festival by Buddhists. The second day is devoted to Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Edward Reddcliff Amavasya is thought of as the darkest night of the year and is holy to Hindus. Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs, built a well in Goindwal with eighty-four steps and invited Sikhs to bathe in its sacred waters on Baisakhi and Diwali as a form of community bonding. Diwali 2021: What the holiday . Gambling, especially in the form of card games, is encouraged as a way of ensuring good luck in the coming year and in remembrance of the games of dice played by Shiva and Parvati on Mount Kailasa or similar contests between Radha and Krishna. We usually plan for our parents to visit us during this period but the pandemic has made it difficult this year for everyone. During the festival, diyas are lit and placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses and set adrift on rivers and streams. [126] Family members light up firecrackers, which some interpret as a way to ward off all evil spirits and the inauspicious, as well as add to the festive mood. In 2022, Diwali falls on October 24th which is a new moon day or Amavasya. [68] In his paper on The Lunar Year of the Hindus, Jones, then based in Bengal, noted four of the five days of Diwali in the autumn months of Aswina-Cartica [sic] as the following: Bhutachaturdasi Yamaterpanam (2nd day), Lacshmipuja dipanwita (the day of Diwali), Dyuta pratipat Belipuja (4th day), and Bhratri dwitiya (5th day). It's a celebration that takes place 15 days after Diwali - the Hindu festival of lights. Diwali is celebrated on the 15th day of Kartik which is considered as the most serene months according to the Hindu Lunar calendar. [53][54], The five-day long festival originated in the Indian subcontinent and is likely a fusion of harvest festivals in ancient India. Although not a primary festival of Buddhism, Diwali is celebrated by some Buddhists as a commemoration of the day when Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism in the 3rd century bce. [43], The artisan Hindu and Sikh community celebrates the fourth day as the Vishwakarma puja day. [59][60] The 16th-century Portuguese traveler Domingo Paes wrote of his visit to the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire, where Dipavali was celebrated in October with householders illuminating their homes, and their temples, with lamps. Lasting over five days, the holiday is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs worldwide. Diwali is the symbol of the victory of good over evil, of hope over despair and of knowledge over ignorance. ", Christopher H. Johnson, Simon Teuscher & David Warren Sabean 2011, India Journal: Tis the Season to be Shopping, Pakistan parliament adopts resolution for Holi, Diwali, Easter holidays, "The Svanti Festival: Victory over Death and the Renewal of the Ritual Cycle in Nepal", "Diwali Festival 2020 India:Date,Story,Celebration,Diwali Special Gift", "Krishna Killed Narakasur - The Narakasur Legend of Diwali - Diwali Legend", Diwali Celebrating the triumph of goodness, "2020 Yama Deepam date and timings for New Delhi, NCT, India", "The 'Yam-deep' or 'Jam ke Deeya' SWAHA International", "Significance of Yama Deepam on Diwali Eve", "Choti Diwali 2020 date: Kali Chaudas significance, when and how to celebrate", "2020 Hanuman Puja date and time during Diwali for New Delhi, NCT, India", If You Missed Diwali in India, Dallas Is the Place to Be, Manchester Dashehra and Diwali Mela plans announced, Festive season to boost India gold buying, India's banks face pre-Diwali cash crunch, Diwali lights up consumer spending, festive spirit beats inflation, Fear Of Toxic Smog Leads India To Limit Diwali Fireworks, Firework Facts: Americans Incinerate $1 Billion in July Fourth Fireworks Every Year, Oneline sales may surpass Rs 30000 crores in festive months, Average family to spend Rs. Some diyas may also be set adrift on streams and river and the evening is marked with fireworks. The second day is Naraka Chaturdashi. The fifth day, called Bhai Dooj, Bhai Tika, or Bhai Bij, celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. Hindu temples on this day prepare and present "mountains of sweets" to the faithful who have gathered for darshan (visit). Diwali lasts five days, and the main celebrations are held on the third day of the festival. In North India the festival also celebrates the royal homecoming of Rama (along with Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman) to the city of Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the 10-headed king of the demons, thus connecting the festival with the holiday of Dussehra. A few, notably the Mughal emperor Akbar, welcomed and participated in the festivities,[62][63] whereas others banned such festivals as Diwali and Holi, as Aurangzeb did in 1665. [143] In Gujarat, Annakut is the first day of the new year and celebrated through the purchase of essentials, or sabras (literally, "good things in life"), such as salt, offering prayers to Krishna and visiting temples. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. What are the 5 Diwali Days in 2022? * People illuminate their homes, temples and offices with diyas, candles and lanterns. [143] According to Kinsley, the ritual use of cow dung, a common fertiliser, is an agricultural motif and a celebration of its significance to annual crop cycles. The dates for Diwali change each year, as they are based on the Hindu lunisolar calendar. These purchases are often gold and silver items or new utensils. The word Deepawali comes from the Sanskrit word deep, which means an Indian lantern/lamp. "Deepawali" and "Dipawali" redirect here. Firecrackers also cause light pollution. Find out all about the history, traditions and significance of Diwali in this blogpost. This year, it begins in the first week of November from 2nd-6th. [48][127], The youngest members in the family visit their elders, such as grandparents and other senior members of the community, on this day. It is one of the most important festivals within Hinduism [7] [8] where it generally lasts five days (or six in some regions of India), and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin (according to the amanta tradition) and Kartika (between mid- October and mid- November ). It symbolizes the victory of good over evil and an even deeper meaning is to drive away our inner darkness with light. [95] According to the Jain tradition, this practice of lighting lamps first began on the day of Mahavira's nirvana in 527 BCE,[j] when 18 kings who had gathered for Mahavira's final teachings issued a proclamation that lamps be lit in remembrance of the "great light, Mahavira". The devotion and dedication of Hanuman pleased Rama so much that he blessed Hanuman to be worshipped before him. The Vishwakarma puja day is alternatively observed in other Hindu communities in accordance with the Hindu solar calendar, and this falls in September. [112] [o] The looms, tools of trade, machines and workplaces are cleaned and prayers offered to these livelihood means. Communities prepare over one hundred dishes from a variety of ingredients, which is then dedicated to Krishna before being shared among the community. [135][61] While the cleaning, or painting, of the home is in part for goddess Lakshmi, it also signifies the ritual "reenactment of the cleansing, purifying action of the monsoon rains" that would have concluded in most of the Indian subcontinent. As per India's official holiday calendar, Diwali in 2020 will be on Saturday, November 14, coinciding with the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. The main festival is on Sunday, but festivities begin on Friday, a day called Dhanteras. [86][87], Trade and merchant families and others also offer prayers to Saraswati, who embodies music, literature and learning and Kubera, who symbolises book-keeping, treasury and wealth management. [20], The festival is an annual homecoming and bonding period not only for families,[17][18] but also for communities and associations, particularly those in urban areas, which will organise activities, events and gatherings. [92][12], Originally a Hindu festival, Diwali has transcended religious lines. For other uses, see, Indoor Diwali decorations in front of an altar, Line of lamps at Bedara Kannappa temple, Mysore, Diyas lit for Diwali at Golden Temple, Punjab, Decorative lights for Diwali on a house in Haryana. They celebrate by lighting lamps, decorating temples and monasteries, and worshipping the Buddha. [177][s], The use of fireworks also causes an increase in the number of burn injuries in India during Diwali. [101] According to J.S. The legislation will come into effect next year, and Diwali will replace Anniversary Day, which is also known as Brooklyn-Queens Day, so that schools can still deliver the 180-day requirement of . [70][71][g] Examples include a 10th-century Rashtrakuta empire copper plate inscription of Krishna III (939967 CE) that mentions Dipotsava,[72] and a 12th-century mixed Sanskrit-Kannada Sinda inscription discovered in the Isvara temple of Dharwad in Karnataka where the inscription refers to the festival as a "sacred occasion". The doors and windows of houses are kept open in the hope that Lakshmi will find her way inside and bless the residents with wealth and success. [161] Other goods that are bought in substantial quantities during Diwali include confectionery and fireworks. However, the focus of the Jain Diwali remains the dedication to Mahavira. On the Gregorian calendar, the festival falls between October and November. [24], Originally a Hindu festival, Diwali is now also celebrated by other faiths. Choti Diwali is the major shopping day for festive, Annakut community meals (left), Krishna holding, A sister ritually feeding her brother on Bhai Duj-Diwali, Dhanteras, Dhanatrayodashi, Yama Deepam (Day 1), Naraka Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas, Chhoti Diwali, Hanuman Puja, Roop Chaudas, Yama Deepam (Day 2), Annakut, Balipratipada (Padwa), Govardhan Puja (Day 4), Bhai Duj, Bhau-Beej, Vishwakarma Puja (Day 5). Where does Diwali get its name? A lunar half-month is 15 days. In 2022, the five days of Diwali begin on October 22, with the most important festival date taking place on October 24. Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz. For Jains, it is a time to celebrate Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, and the moment reached a state of enlightenment. Residents of Amritsar lit lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion. [141][142] In another interpretation, it is thought to reference the legend of Parvati and her husband Shiva playing a game of dyuta (dice) on a board of twelve squares and thirty pieces, Parvati wins. He explained that though the actual Hindu festival day is the same, it is identified differently in regional calendars because there are two traditions in the Hindu calendar. [156] It is traditionally a time when households purchase new clothing, home refurbishments, gifts, gold, jewelry,[157][158] and other large purchases particularly as the festival is dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and such purchases are considered auspicious. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Diwali is typically a four- or five-day event, starting two days before the new moon and extending two days afterward. Diwali will become a public school holiday in New York City starting next year, Mayor Eric Adams (D) announced Thursday.. Why it matters: Diwali, a celebration of light over darkness that starts on Oct. 24 this year, is one of the most sacred holidays observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. [184], During Diwali, the levels of suspended particulate matter increase. Naraka Chaturdashi is the second day of the festival on November 3. [121] It is also celebrated as Roop Chaudas in some North Indian households, where women bathe before sunrise, while lighting a Diya (lamp) in the bath area, they believe it helps enhance their beauty it is a fun ritual that young girls enjoy as part of festivities. The exact date changes every year because the Hindu calendar is lunar. The meaning of Diwaliand its many legends Diwali is so widely. Cook, Sharell. In Bengal the goddess Kali is worshipped. [135] Vaishnava families recite Hindu legends of the victory of good over evil and the return of hope after despair on the Diwali night, where the main characters may include Rama, Krishna, Vamana or one of the avatars of Vishnu, the divine husband of Lakshmi. [167] In 2020, the INDF ETF was launched to mark the start of Diwali. [140], This day ritually celebrates the bond between the wife and husband,[143] and in some Hindu communities, husbands will celebrate this with gifts to their wives. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1770209. [75][76] Another early 13th-century Sanskrit stone inscription, written in the Devanagari script, has been found in the north end of a mosque pillar in Jalore, Rajasthan evidently built using materials from a demolished Jain temple. It's celebrated across five days with the day of Diwali observed on the new moon or Amavasya. On the eve of his first visit to India as President of the United States, Obama released an official statement sharing his best wishes with "those celebrating Diwali". [79], Hindus of eastern India associate the festival with the Goddess Kali, who symbolises the victory of good over evil. On the third day, Lakshmi Puja, families seek blessings from Lakshmi to ensure their prosperity; light diyas, candles, and fireworks; andvisittemples. In 2013, about 25 billion (US$310million) of fireworks were sold to merchants for the Diwali season, an equivalent retail value of about 50 billion (US$630million) according to The Times of India. 2. The celebration will include dancing, a fashion show and other performances, as well as free food. A lunar year varies in length, each month containing approximately 29.5 days (354 days) depending on the moon's movement with respect to the earth. On this day, Lord Dhanwantari came out of the ocean with Ayurvedic for mankind. UCF's Indian Student Association (ISA) will host Diwali event at the Hindu Society of Central Florida Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. [140] It is regionally called Annakut (heap of grain), Padwa, Goverdhan puja, Bali Pratipada, Bali Padyami, Kartik Shukla Pratipada and other names. The Hindu lunar calendar has two parts: dark (Krishna paksha, or "waning moon" in Sanskrit) and light (hukla paksha, or "waxing moon"), and the new moon (amavasya) always occurs in between the parts, typically on the 15th. It was in early 20th-century, states Harjot Oberoi, a scholar of Sikh history, when the Khalsa Tract Society triggered by the, Hindus of eastern and northeastern states of India associate the festival with the goddess. The dates of Diwali change every year, though the five day festival generally falls between late October and early November. [173], Diwali was first celebrated in the White House by George W. Bush in 2003 and its religious and historical significance was officially recognized by the United States Congress in 2007. [43][55], Emperor Harsha refers to Deepavali, in the 7th-century Sanskrit play Nagananda, as Dpapratipadotsava (dpa = light, pratipad = first day, utsava = festival), where lamps were lit and newly engaged brides and grooms received gifts. This year's date of celebration starts November 14, 2020. . Here is everything you need to know about the festival and how it is celebrated. Diwali is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Hindu month of Kartika and, much like Easter, the date changes every year. Amavasya is thought of as the darkest night of the year and is holy to Hindus. [108] During Diwali, people wear their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with saaki (earthen lamp), diyas and rangoli, perform worship ceremonies of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth,[l] light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared. Dates for 2020 to 2025." [47][b], The five-day celebration is observed every year in early autumn after the conclusion of the summer harvest. Cook, Sharell. [153][p] In the modern day, Diwali mela are held at college, or university, campuses or as community events by members of the Indian diaspora. [73] According to Lorenz Franz Kielhorn, a German Indologist known for translating many Indic inscriptions, this festival is mentioned as Dipotsavam in verses 6 and 7 of the Ranganatha temple Sanskrit inscription of the 13th-century Kerala Hindu king Ravivarman Samgramadhira. The 5 days of Diwali [20][45] The term is derived from the Sanskrit words dpa, "lamp, light, lantern, candle, that which glows, shines, illuminates or knowledge"[46] and vali, "a row, range, continuous line, series". [15][131][132] After the puja, people go outside and celebrate by lighting up patakhe (fireworks) together, and then share a family feast and mithai (sweets, desserts). The duration will be 1 hour 56 minutes. Meaning "rows of lighted lamps," Diwali is a celebration of light over darkness for different cultures across the world, especially South Asia. For the Jain community, the festival commemorates the enlightenment and liberation (moksha) of Mahavira, the most recent of the Jain Tirthankaras, from the cycle of life and death (samsara). This year, Diwali or Deepavali will take place on October 24. Diwali is observed on the day of Amavasya or the new moon and marks the start of the Hindu New Year. It is intended to signify a brother's duty to protect his sister as well as sisters blessing their brothers. Every occasion represents two main things: 1. Sometimes these are wrapped with edible silver foil (vark). (The corresponding dates in the Gregorian calendar usually fall in late October and November.) When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? The fourth day has different names in different regions and typically celebrates the marital bond. It is usually celebrated on October or November every year. Sanskrit inscriptions in stone and copper mentioning Diwali, occasionally alongside terms such as Dipotsava, Dipavali, Divali and Divalige, have been discovered at numerous sites across India. "[74][h], Jain inscriptions, such as the 10th-century Saundatti inscription about a donation of oil to Jinendra worship for the Diwali rituals, speak of Dipotsava. The date of Deepavali on the new moon makes it the darkest night in the month of Kartik, when the nights are cold, long, and dark: all the lights make that darkness easier to bear. [171][172] Since 2009, Diwali has been celebrated every year at 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British Prime Minister. It . It is a day in which people rid themselves of evil and everything negative. The Diwali festival dates back to ancient times in India. [114][43][82] On the evening of Dhanteras, families offer prayers (puja) to Lakshmi and Ganesha, and lay offerings of puffed rice, candy toys, rice cakes and batashas (hollow sugar cakes). For the Jain community, the festival commemorates the enlightenment and liberation (moksha) of Mahavira, the most recent of the Jain Tirthankaras, from the cycle of life and death (samsara). It is traditionally a puja, or a celebration that worships, honors, and shows devotion to the divine. Diwali is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Diwali falls in either October or November each year, depending on the cycle of the moon. The height of Diwali is celebrated on the third day coinciding with the darkest night of Ashvin or Kartika. Although most important for Hindus, the festival is also observed by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. In 2022, Diwali is on October 24. [151], During the season of Diwali, numerous rural townships and villages host melas,[152] or fairs, where local producers and artisans trade produce and goods. Diwali symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". A variety of entertainments are usually available for inhabitants of the local community to enjoy. For some Hindus, it is a day to pray for the peace to the manes, or defiled souls of one's ancestors and light their way for their journeys in the cyclic afterlife. "There were a hundred-plus of us at my cousin's house each year," she explains. Holi Dates: When is Holi in 2021, 2022 and 2023? After firing, the fine dust particles get settled on the surrounding surfaces which are packed with chemicals like copper, zinc, sodium, lead, magnesium, cadmium and pollutants like oxides of sulfur and nitrogen. The celebration of Diwali aligns with the new moon, so it's celebrated on a different day each year. Diwali, also spelled Divali, one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, lasting for five days from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. For planning purposes, here are the dates for the main celebrations for Diwali for the next few years: The date to celebrate Diwali generally changes by a week to 10 days every year. It is observed by the Vajrayana Buddhist minority among the Newarpeople of Nepal. [114], On the second day of Diwali, Hanuman Puja is performed in some parts of India especially in Gujarat. Diwali always falls some time between October and November, but the exact date varies each year as the Hindu calendar is based on the Moon. Lakshmi is the focus of worship on that day. [102] The festival of Diwali, according to Ray Colledge, highlights three events in Sikh history: the founding of the city of Amritsar in 1577, the release of Guru Hargobind from the Mughal prison, and the day of Bhai Mani Singh's martyrdom in 1738 as a result of his failure to pay a fine for trying to celebrate Diwali and thereafter refusing to convert to Islam.