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ENTITY reports on hindu diwali day

As the Christmas equivalent for Hindus, Diwali is the most important holiday in India. It’s five days of celebrating the Festival of Lights.

But if you’re wondering about the true history of Hindu Diwali day, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s everything you need to know about Diwali.

What is the history of Diwali?

ENTITY reports on hindu diwali day

According to National Geographic, Diwali began as a harvest festival to mark the last harvest of the year before winter. As an agricultural society, Indians would seek the blessing of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, by closing their accounting books and praying for success at the beginning of every new financial year. Businesses all over India mark the day after Diwali as the first day of the new financial year.

It is also believed that Lakshmi wanders the Earth looking for welcoming homes to enter. So, people open their windows, doors and light lamps to welcome her in.

For five days, Indians celebrate the festival with family gatherings, glittering clay lamps, festive fireworks, strings of electric lights, bonfires, flowers, sweets and worship.

Who celebrates Diwali?

All Indians, regardless of faith, celebrate the holiday. Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists all participate in the festival. But, Hindus interpret the story of Diwali differently based on where they live.

Northern Indians celebrate the story of King Rama. According to the story, King Rama returned to the city of Ayodhya after defeating Ravana by lighting rows of clay lamps.

Southern Indians, on the other hand, interpret the day as the day Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura.

Lastly, western Indians celebrate the holiday as the day Lord Vishnu tricked the demon King Bali into ruling the underworld.

But regardless of the interpretation, the overall theme of the festival is good overcoming evil.

On the other hand, non-Hindus celebrate the festival for different reasons. Jains celebrate the day to mark the spiritual awakening of Lord Mahavira on Oct. 15, 527 B.C. Sikhs, however, celebrate the day to mark the day Guru Hargobind Ji, the Sixth Sikh Guru, was freed from prison.

How is Diwali celebrated?

ENTITY reports on hindu diwali day

Photo via Instagram/abolipitre

Diwali is a five-day celebration.

On the first day, people thoroughly clean their homes and shop for gold or kitchen utensils.

For the second day, it’s tradition to decorate homes with clay lamps and create design patterns on the floor using colored powders or sand.

The third day is the most important day. Families gather to pray to Goddess Lakshmi, which is then followed by a feast and fireworks.

On the fourth day, people celebrate the first day of the new year by visiting friends and relatives with gifts and best wishes.

Finally, the last day is celebrated by married sisters inviting their brothers into their homes with love and a luxurious meal. This day is called Bhaiyadooj.

What are some Diwali facts?

  • The dates of Diwali are actually based on the Hindu lunar calendar. People usually celebrate the holiday in October or November. This year, Hindu Diwali day falls on Oct. 19.
  • Deepawali is another name for Diwali. Deep means “light” and awali means “a row.” Together, it loosely translates into “a row of light.” This is why the term, Festival of Lights, refers to the Indian holiday.
  • Countries such as Singapore, Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia and England also celebrate Diwali.

What are some Diwali foods?

ENTITY reports on hindu diwali day

Photo via Instagram/swwapnilchand

Since Diwali celebrations include the sharing of sweets, Indians eat some amazing sweets.

According to The Guardian, Indian sweets are referred to as mithai, which are a cross between a snack, dessert and confectionery. People nibble on these throughout the day with masala chai, a brewed black tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs. People also mix cashews, almonds, pistachios, chirongi nuts or raisins into yogurt, thickened condensed milk, chickpea flour, rice flour, seminola, various beans, lentils and grains, squashes and carrots.

Other popular foods are ladoos, a sweet ball made out of flour, minced dough and sugar, barfis, a sweet confectionery with a dense milk base and halwas, which refers to various dense sweet confections.

If your mouth is watering, too, recipes can be found here. Happy Diwali Day to those celebrating it!

 

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