Know something more about Diwali / Deepavali @ Rupeshprasaila.blogspot. com Rangoli decorations, made using coloured powder, are...
Diwali or Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated every year in autumn in the northern hemisphere (spring in southern hemisphere).[4][5] It is an official holiday in Fiji, Guyana,India,[6] Pakistan,[7] Malaysia, Mauritius,Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka,Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. One of the major festivals of Hinduism, it spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair.[8][9][10] Its celebration includes millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings in the communities and countries where it is observed.[11] 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 theHindu Lunisolar month Kartika inBikram Sambat calendar. In theGregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November.
Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate, and decorate their homes and offices.[12] On Diwali night, people dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family puja (prayers) typically to Lakshmi – the goddess of fertility and prosperity. After puja, fireworks follow,[13] then a family feast including mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Deepavali also marks a major shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.[14]
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,[15] the festivities start with Dhanteras (in Northern and Western part of India), followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on second day, Deepavali on the third day,Diwali Padva dedicated to wife–husband relationship on the fourth day, and festivities end with Bhai Dooj 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 also called Diwali to mark the attainment ofmoksha by Mahavira,[16][17] Sikhscelebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release of Guru Hargobind from aMughal Empire prison,[18] and Newar Buddhists, unlike the majority of Buddhists, celebrate Diwali by worshipping Lakshmi.[19][20]
Etymology
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Diwali(English pronunciation: /dᵻˈwɑːliː/)[4] orSanskrit dīpāvali means "series of lights",[23] and is derived from दीप dīpa"light, lamp"[24][25] and आवलि āvali"series, line, row".[26] Diwali is also known as दीपोत्सव dīpotsava "festival of lights".
The holiday is known as dīpavaḷi inKannada: ದೀಪಾವಳಿ, Malayalam:ദീപാവലി, and Telugu: దీపావళి, dipawoliin Assamese: দীপাৱলী, dipaboli or dipaliin Bengali: দীপাবলি/দীপালি, dipābali inOdia: ଦିପାବଳୀ, divālī in Hindi: दिवाली, dīvālīin Punjabi: ਦੀਵਾਲੀ, divāḷi in Gujarati:દિવાળી, Marathi: दिवाळी, and Konkani:दिवाळी, diyārī in Sindhi: दियारी, tīpāvaḷi inTamil: தீபாவளி, Galungan in Balineseand Swanti in Nepali: स्वन्ति or tihar inNepali: तिहार.
Tomorrow we know about its History...
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