Diwali
Diwali, also known as Dipawali or the festival of lights, is a significant Hindu holiday that marks the New Year in the Vikram calendar, celebrated during the month of Kartika. This five-day festival falls in October or November, coinciding with the new moon, and symbolizes the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. The term Diwali derives from the Sanskrit words meaning "row of lights," reflecting the festival's emphasis on illumination. Celebrated by various communities, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, its origins are linked to several legends, including those of the goddess Lakshmi, who represents wealth and prosperity.
During the celebrations, people decorate their homes with lamps and colored powders, engage in prayers, and light fireworks to dispel darkness and invite good fortune. The holiday includes customs such as gift exchanges, the purchase of new clothes, and festive meals. In addition to India, Diwali is recognized in several countries with significant Hindu populations, such as Fiji, Nepal, and Malaysia, and it has garnered recognition in the United States, where efforts to establish it as a federal holiday continue. Overall, Diwali is a vibrant celebration rich in cultural significance and community spirit.
Subject Terms
Diwali
Diwali, also known as Dipawali or the festival of lights, is a Hindu national holiday that is celebrated as New Year's in the Vikram calendar during the month of Kartika. It is also celebrated, but according to different stories, by communities that follow Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism. The five-day festival falls in accordance with the moon phases, beginning on the night of the new moon in either October or November in the Gregorian calendar. Diwali received its name from the Sanskrit word dipavali, which means "row of lights." The festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. The legends from which Diwali celebrations derive vary according to the region in which they are celebrated. In one story, the lights are used to welcome Lakshmi, a god of wealth. Many Indian businesses start a new accounting year during Diwali because of the holiday's association with wealth and good fortune.
Background
Hinduism is the third largest religion and one of the oldest religions in the world. It has more than nine hundred million followers throughout the world, but it is practiced primarily in India and Nepal. Hinduism differs from other major religions because it has no single founder, scripture, or official set of teachings. Hinduism is considered by some to be more of a "way of life" than a religion.
Most Hindus adhere to a body of sacred texts known as the Veda and follow a set of values known as dharma. They worship three main gods: Brahma, creator of the universe; Vishnu, preserver of the universe; and Shiva, destroyer of the universe. They also believe in numerous deities(gods) who were derived from the main gods.
Hindus accept a cycle of life that begins with birth and continues after death with a rebirth in accordance with karma, the belief that good and bad consequences exist for all deeds in life. Samsara, or reincarnation, can happen to a soul repeatedly. After death, the soul is guided to a new physical body—human, animal, or deity. Hinduism's many varied beliefs and traditions have resulted in more than one thousand Hindu holidays. Diwali is one of the most important holidays celebrated by Hindus.
Several legends surround the origins of Diwali. In the Bengali and Oriya regions of India, the god Kali is celebrated during Diwali. The most well-known legend, however, involves Lakshmi, a god of wealth and prosperity. Lakshmi was the consort of Vishnu. One day, she became upset and left the world of the gods. Without her, the gods lost their prosperity and good fortunes. Fewer people prayed to the gods, and the demons began to take hold of the world. The gods asked Vishnu for help, and he told them to churn the ocean to get Lakshmi's attention. After much time, Lakshmi arose from the ocean and once again bestowed blessings and good fortunes on the gods. This enabled them to defeat the demons. Since then, Hindus have worshipped Lakshmi during Diwali in hopes of receiving great wealth and prosperity for the year.
Two other myths about Diwali are associated with good versus evil. The demon Ravana, who had ten arms and ten heads, served as the ruler of Sri Lanka. He abducted Sita, the incarnation of Lakshmi and the wife of Rama, who had been in exile. Rama came out of exile to battle Ravana. After Rama's victory, he became king of Ayodhya. However, when he first returned, he could not see the way because of the dark, moonless sky. When the people of Ayodhya heard this, they put lamps outside their homes to light the way for the new king.
In another story, the demon Narakaasura, who served as the king of Pragjyotishpur (near Nepal), terrorized his kingdom. He stole money from Aditi, the mother of the gods, and kidnapped more than sixteen thousand daughters of the gods. One day, the gods asked Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu, for his help. He intervened and was able to save the girls and get back Aditi's money. After winning the battle, Krishna returned home and bathed in oils, which became a Diwali tradition. The tale of Krishna having sixteen thousand wives originated from this story.
Overview
Diwali is celebrated over five days. During the celebration, Hindus pray to Lakshmi for good fortune. People prepare for the holiday by decorating their houses and businesses. Some people build altars to Lakshmi that are adorned with money and photographs of items that represent wealth. People also leave their windows and doors open to make it easier for Lakshmi to enter their homes or businesses. Inside, they use colored powders to draw patterns known as rangoli. These typically contain the lotus flower, which is associated with the god.
Diwali is known as the festival of lights, and brightness is very important to the significance of the holiday. Fireworks are lit to brighten the sky with color. People light up their houses, shops, and other buildings with rows of candles or oil lamps known as diyas to drive away evil spirits and to light the way for Lakshmi. They also float the diyas across rivers and other bodies of water. It is seen as good luck if the lamps reach the other side.
Diwali is similar to the Christian holiday of Christmas because people buy and exchange gifts during the holiday. They also purchase new clothes to wear during celebrations and participate in great feasts. Precious metals and silverware are bought during this time since they represent good luck. Gambling is a popular activity during Diwali. According to legend, the god Parvati played dice with Shiva, and Radha gambled with Krishna. In these instances, the women always won, so good luck is bestowed on those who gamble during the celebration. In addition, farmers worship their cows, since the animals are their main source of income.
Different Countries' Observations of Diwali
While India is most well known for an expansive organized Diwali celebration, there are several other countries, particularly those that have large Hindu populations, that observe Diwali in some manner, with some also marking it as an official public holiday. The federal government of Fiji has reserved a day each year, typically the major festival day, as a Diwali national holiday, as have those of Guyana, Nepal, Mauritius, Malaysia, and Trinidad and Tobago, among others. Additionally, Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist communities of many nations celebrate Diwali regardless of its national holiday status, and some groups have lobbied to make it a national holiday if it is not already. In Malaysia in 2021, a parliamentary lawmaker argued prominently for two days to be designated for the holiday's observation rather than just one.
In the United States, President Barack Obama nationally, officially recognized and participated in White House Diwali celebrations in 2009, marking the first time that a US president had done so; he was also the first president to light a diya in commemoration. While Obama and his predecessor, Donald Trump, continued to honor Diwali, it had not become an official national holiday for the public by the end of the 2010s. In 2023, US Representative Grace Meng, first vice chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus, introduced the Diwali Day Act, a bill to make Diwali a federal holiday.
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