[143][147], The day celebrates the sibling bond between brother and sister. (2021, October 12). The main festival day falls on a different date each autumn, timed to the Hindu lunar calendar, but it . [23][140] According to one tradition, the day is associated with the story of Bali's defeat at the hands of Vishnu. For Sikhs, the celebration highlights the release of guru Hargobind Singh from prison and his return to Amritsar. Hindus celebrating Diwali in India. Diwali falls on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Kartik, which is the new moon day of the first month of the lunar year. It's observed on the 15th day of the month. Diwali/Deepavali - Time and Date Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. The festival of Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom after defeating Ravana. Bhalla said the dates change each year based on the Hindu lunar calendar, but typically happens in October and November. [154][155][91], Diwali marks a major shopping period in India,[31] and is comparable to the Christmas period in terms of consumer purchases and economic activity. [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. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [116] Some communities, particularly those active in Ayurvedic and health-related professions, pray or perform havan rituals to Dhanvantari on Dhanteras. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). They celebrate by lighting lamps, decorating temples and monasteries, and worshipping the Buddha. [41], Diwali (English: /dwli/)[9] or Divali[44] is from the Sanskrit dpvali meaning "row or series of lights". It is mentioned in Sanskrit texts dating from the fourth century CE but was likely practiced for many hundreds of years before that. Spiritually, Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. [183] These invisible yet harmful particles affect the environment and in turn, put people's health at stake. [116][114] Women and children decorate doorways within homes and offices with rangolis, colourful designs made from rice flour, flower petals, colored rice or colored sand,[23] while the boys and men decorate the roofs and walls of family homes, markets, and temples and string up lights and lanterns. The festival climax is on the third day and is called the main Diwali. Diwali along with Holi for Hindus, and Easter for Christians, was adopted as public holiday resolution by Pakistan's parliament in 2016, giving the local governments and public institutions the right to declare Holi as a holiday and grant leave for its minority communities, for the first time. [148] On this day the womenfolk of the family gather, perform a puja with prayers for the well being of their brothers, then return to a ritual of feeding their brothers with their hands and receiving gifts. All the days except Diwali are named using the designation in the Indian calendar. Every year it is celebrated on the darkest night of the Hindu month Kartika. This festive day is interpreted by some to symbolise Yama's sister Yamuna welcoming Yama with a tilaka, while others interpret it as the arrival of Krishna at his sister Subhadra's place after defeating Narakasura. Here's how India is celebrating Diwali - NPR.org At such events a variety of music, dance and arts performances, food, crafts, and cultural celebrations are featured. 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. Diwali is also celebrated to mark the return of Rama to Ayodhya after defeating the demon-king Ravana and completing his fourteen years of exile. [12][114] Families also prepare homemade delicacies for Lakshmi Pujan, regarded as the main day of Diwali. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. Diwali Dates Detailed Information Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [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). Diwali - New World Encyclopedia It is in fact the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksh, the dark forthnight of the month of Kartik. [19] Diwali is also marked with fireworks and the decoration of floors with rangoli designs, and other parts of the house with jhalars. The incredible amount of fireworks and firecrackers set off during the five days of Diwali have become an issue in many Indian cities, to the point that ambient air and noise during Diwali are considered somewhat of a health hazard. In 2023, Diwali will be celebrated on 19th October (Sunday). The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue was founded as Secretariat for non-Christians by Pope Paul VI. This year's festival begins on Oct. 22. The Hindu calendar is based on both the sun and moon (while the Gregorian calendar is only based on the sun). 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. The festival usually falls between mid-October and mid-November. Hindus celebrate Diwali. In 2023, it falls on a Sunday, and some businesses may choose to follow Sunday opening hours. Dipa oil lamps are often lit for Diwali celebrations. Diwali 2021: What the holiday . The festival isn't celebrated in Kerala though. Diwali is also known as the 'Festival of Light' because it is celebrated using lights, fireworks and lanterns in private homes and public places. [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. The day before Diwali is remembered as Naraka Chaturdasi, the day on which Narakasura was killed by Krishna. What is Diwali? All About the 2022 Festival of Lights Ubtan is applied by the women which is made up of special gram flour mixed with herbs for cleansing and beautifying themselves. What makes Dev Deepawali different from Diwali? The Diwali festival dates back to ancient times in India. People often think of Diwali as a Hindu festival, but it is also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains . Diwali festivities include a celebration of sights, sounds, arts and flavours. Each day has a special significance as follows. [4] Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Newar Buddhists,[29] although for each faith it marks different historical events and stories, but nonetheless the festival represents the same symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. The dates for Diwali change each year, as they are based on the Hindu lunisolar calendar. Diwali - Wikipedia What Is Diwali? Here's What to Know About the Holiday [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". The names and events of the individual days of Diwali are as follows: The first day, known as Dhanteras, is dedicated to cleaning homes and purchasing small items of gold. [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. [147] In historic times, this was a day in autumn when brothers would travel to meet their sisters, or invite their sister's family to their village to celebrate their sister-brother bond with the bounty of seasonal harvests. All About Diwali 2022: When & How to Celebrate | CompareRemit Diwali is for mere mortals; Dev Deepawali is the festival of the gods. Diwali Dates for 2022 to 2040 | Diwali Calender - TheHolidaySpot.com Diwali is celebrated in the Hindu month of Kartik. Diwali is celebrated for five days, each with its own special significance. [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". Diwali symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". Diwali is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. [n] Vishwakarma is the presiding Hindu deity for those in architecture, building, manufacturing, textile work and crafts trades. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1539426. He has written several books about Hinduism for children and young adults. In 2019, Diwali started on October 25 as reported by The Fact. 10,000 on this Diwali: ASSOCHAM survey, "Festival of Lights: All You Need to Know About Diwali", "DNA Explainer: What is Diwali Muhurat Trading and why it is best time to invest in stocks", "NextFins Celebrates Diwali With the Launch of INDF", "Prince Charles, Camilla celebrate Diwali in UK", "Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall Celebrate Diwali at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London", "Brown celebrates Diwali at 10, Downing Street, in a 'historic' first", "Pakistan parliament adopts resolution for Holi, Diwali, Easter holidays", "Muslim-majority Pakistan set to declare Holi, Diwali and Easter as public holidays", "Muslims join Hindus in Diwali celebrations in Pakistan's Peshawar", "Burns in the developing world and burn disasters", "Air Pollution: Delhi's air quality enters 'Red Zone' ahead of Diwali", "Diwali may bring 'severe' air pollution to Delhi, despite fireworks ban", "Firecrackers Not Only Pollute The Environment But Also Carry Cancer Causing Chemicals", "Diyas symbolise Diwali, crackers cause pollution: Delhi environment minister", The Ancient Origins of Diwali, Indias Biggest Holiday, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sembilan's Birthday, Anniversary of Installation of the Sultan of Terengganu, Declaration of Malacca City as Historical City, Declaration of George Town as World Heritage Site, Annunciation of the Virgin Mary / Annunciation of the Theotokos, Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust, Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Fast in Honor of the Holy Mother of Lord Jesus, Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nativity of Mary / Nativity of the Theotokos, Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month, Virgin IslandsPuerto Rico Friendship Day, Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diwali&oldid=1139371132, Articles containing Assamese-language text, Articles containing Bengali-language text, Articles containing Gujarati-language text, Articles containing Kannada-language text, Articles containing Konkani (individual language)-language text, Articles containing Maithili-language text, Articles containing Malayalam-language text, Articles containing Marathi-language text, Articles containing Punjabi-language text, Articles containing Nepali (macrolanguage)-language text, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English, Articles using infobox templates with no data rows, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Ashvin Krishna Trayodashi, Ashvin Krishna Chaturdashi, Ashvin Amavasya, Kartik Shukla Pratipada, Kartik Shukla Dwitiya, 11 (Kali Chaudas/Hanuman Puja/Chhoti Diwali), This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 20:01. [92][12], Originally a Hindu festival, Diwali has transcended religious lines. [165] About two-thirds of Indian households, according to the ASSOCHAM forecast, would spend between 5,000 (US$63) and 10,000 (US$130) to celebrate Diwali in 2017. [43], The puja and rituals in the Bengali Hindu community focus on Kali, the goddess of war, instead of Lakshmi. ( See calendar ). For planning purposes, here are the dates for the main celebrations for Diwali for the next few years: 2019: Sunday, October 27 (starts on October 25, ends on October 29) 2020: Saturday, November 14 (November 12-16) 2021: Thursday, November 4 (November 2-6) 2022: Monday, October 24 (October 22-26) 2023: Wednesday, November 7 (November 5-9) The Diwali festival actually runs for five days, with the main event happening on the third day in most places in India. Learn Religions. The Vishwakarma puja day is alternatively observed in other Hindu communities in accordance with the Hindu solar calendar, and this falls in September. What Is Diwali and How Do You Celebrate Hindu Festival of Lights? Diwali is also known as Deepavali, Dipavali, Dewali, Deepawali, or the Festival of Lights. We usually plan for our parents to visit us during this period but the pandemic has made it difficult this year for everyone. On the third day, Lakshmi Puja, families seek blessings from Lakshmi to ensure their prosperity; light diyas, candles, and fireworks; andvisittemples. People will wear their best clothes and pray to Lakshmi as lamps are lit outside homes and temples. It is usually celebrated on October or November every year. To produce colors when crackers are burst, carcinogenic and poisonous elements are used. On the Gregorian calendar, the festival falls between October and November. The five days are as follows:. Diwali 2022: What Is Diwali? - The Old Farmer's Almanac When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. When is Diwali 2021? Start date of Hindu festival of lights - mirror Amavasya is thought of as the darkest night of the year and is holy to Hindus. Naraka Chaturdashi, also known as Chhoti Diwali, is the second day of festivities coinciding with the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin or Kartik. Information on Diwali (Deepawali) - Festival of Lights [48][127], The youngest members in the family visit their elders, such as grandparents and other senior members of the community, on this day. Facts about Diwali 1) Diwali is an important religious festival originating in India. Diwali | Definition & Facts | Britannica Cook, Sharell. 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". 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). The day also marks a major shopping day to purchase new utensils, home equipment, jewelry, firecrackers, and other items. [112][113], Rituals and preparations for Diwali begin days or weeks in advance, typically after the festival of Dusshera that precedes Diwali by about 20 days. Some diyas may also be set adrift on streams and river and the evening is marked with fireworks. Diwali is typically a four- or five-day event, starting two days before the new moon and extending two days afterward. Because Diwali is such a meaningful celebration, festivities are often planned years in advance. 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. Cook, Sharell. The meaning of Diwaliand its many legends Diwali is so widely. About Diwali. When is Diwali celebrated every year? - Quora Residents of Amritsar lit lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion. The diyas (lamps) are mentioned in Skanda Kishore Purana as symbolising parts of the sun, describing it as the cosmic giver of light and energy to all life and which seasonally transitions in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. [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. Some Hindu communities mark the last day as Bhai Dooj or the regional equivalent, which is dedicated to the bond between sister and brother,[111] while other Hindu and Sikh craftsmen communities mark this day as Vishwakarma Puja and observe it by performing maintenance in their work spaces and offering prayers. Diwali is also an important festival in Jainism. [120] The term "chhoti" means little, while "Naraka" means hell and "Chaturdashi" means "fourteenth". Shopkeepers and small operations perform puja rituals in their office premises. DIWALI - Changes Annually - National Day Calendar Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. This year's date of celebration starts November 14, 2020. . It is observed on the 15th day of the 8th month (the month of Kartik) in India's calendar. Over time, these spring and autumn festivals became the most important of Sikh festivals and holy sites such as Amritsar became focal points for annual pilgrimages. Sometimes these are wrapped with edible silver foil (vark). [115][144][145], The agricultural symbolism is also observed on this day by many Hindus as Annakut, literally "mountain of food". Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. While Diwali spans five days, the holiday reaches its peak on day three this year, falling on Oct. 24, 2022. Diwali 2021: When is the festival of lights and how is it celebrated Each day has a different name and rituals. Diwali is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Hindu month of Kartika and, much like Easter, the date changes every year. Diwali 2023 dates | When Is Diwali/ Deepawali in 2023? Monier Monier Williams (2008 updated, Harvard University), Sanskrit English dictionary, . According to McDermott, while the Durga Puja is the largest Bengali festival and it can be traced to the 16th-century or earlier, the start of Kali puja tradition on Diwali is traceable to no earlier than about the mid-18th-century during the reign of Raja Krishnacandra Ray. Importance of Diwali Festival and Its Significance | About Diwali Where does Diwali get its name? [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. Diwali/Deepavali is a public holiday. One tradition links the festival to legends in the Hindu epic Ramayana, where Diwali is the day Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman reached Ayodhya after a period of 14 years in exile after Rama's army of good defeated demon king Ravana's army of evil. [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. [184], During Diwali, the levels of suspended particulate matter increase. Diwali is celebrated every year in either October or November, based on the lunar cycle. [103][104][k], Diwali is not a festival for most Buddhists, with the exception of the Newar people of Nepal who revere various deities in Vajrayana Buddhism and celebrate Diwali by offering prayers to Lakshmi. Every year Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains around the world celebrate the Indian Festival of Lights called Diwali. The Prime Minister Jawaharlal . When is Diwali 2022: What is Diwali, who celebrates it and how to wish It is determined by the Indian calendar and the dates of celebration change every year. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. According to Truschke, Aurangzeb did so because he found the festivals "distasteful" and also from "concerns with public safety" lurking in the background. It celebrates the sister-brother bond, similar in spirit to Raksha Bandhan but it is the brother that travels to meet the sister and her family. Diwali, also spelled Divali, is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Omissions? The third day is Diwali and the height of the festival. In the diaspora, all the countries in the world outside of the Indian subcontinent where Indian people have settled, Diwali is considered a public celebration open to Hindus and anyone else. [114], On the second day of Diwali, Hanuman Puja is performed in some parts of India especially in Gujarat. In India, the holiday always falls on the 15th of Kartik, the first month of the Hindu lunar calendar . This day marks the beginning of deepawali celebrations. [134], On the night of Diwali, rituals across much of India are dedicated to Lakshmi to welcome her into their cleaned homes and bring prosperity and happiness for the coming year. Firecrackers also cause light pollution. Five Days of Diwali - Diwali 5 Days, Diwalifestival.org 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. This year, Diwali falls at the start of November beginning with Dhanteras on November 2. [61], Islamic historians of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire era also mentioned Diwali and other Hindu festivals. Merchants perform religious ceremonies and open new account books. iStock.com/triloks What Do People Do? The auspicious time to conduct Lakshmi Puja will begin at 6:09 pm and end at 8:04 pm, according to the Drik Panchang. Symbolising the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness, Diwali usually falls in the early autumn, coinciding with the new moon, deemed the darkest night of the Hindu lunar calendar. [79] Throughout the epic, Rama's decisions were always in line with dharma (duty) and the Diwali festival serves as a reminder for followers of hinduism to maintain their dharma in day to day life. This means that Diwali kicks off on Oct. 22 and is celebrated through Oct. 26,. It is commemorated on the 15th day of Kartik, the Hindu calendar's holiest month. [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. [49] (According to Indologist Constance Jones, this night ends the lunar month of Ashwin and starts the month of Kartik[50] but see this note[c] and Amanta and Purnima systems.) The festival falls sometime between October and November. The devotion and dedication of Hanuman pleased Rama so much that he blessed Hanuman to be worshipped before him. The Catholic dicastery Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, founded as Secretariat for non-Christians by Pope Paul VI, began sending official greetings and the Pope's message to the Hindus on Diwali in the mid-1990s. When Is Diwali in 2021, 2022 and 2023? - Learn Religions During the festival, Hindus, Jains and Sikhs illuminate their homes, temples and workspaces with diyas (oil lamps), candles and lanterns[16] Hindus, in particular, have a ritual oil bath at dawn on each day of the festival. This is why dates change every year. What is Diwali? Fireworks are often set off in the evening to celebrate Diwali. This time the revered festival of Diwali is to be held on the month of October 24, 2022. 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). [109] Textual evidence suggests that Bengali Hindus worshipped Lakshmi before the colonial era, and that the Kali puja is a more recent phenomenon. Next year (2024) November 1 (Friday) Last year (2022) October 24 (Monday) This holiday gets its name from the rows of clay lamps that Indians light just outside their houses. Diwali/Deepavali in India - Time and Date This year, Diwali will be on Thursday, Nov. 4. The day of Diwali itself falls on November 4.. [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. Because the festival of Diwali is celebrated according to the lunar calendar, the dates are different each year. It is celebrated in October or November each year. 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. [7] The Jains observe their own Diwali which marks the final liberation of Mahavira,[25][26] the Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas to mark the release of Guru Hargobind from a Mughal prison. Monier Monier Williams (2008 updated, Harvard University), Sanskrit English dictionary, . [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. However you celebrate Diwali, Denver's growing Indian food scene offers a rich culinary experience for those who enjoy fresh ingredients, diverse textures, and complex combinations of spices from the South Asian subcontinent. [47][b], The five-day celebration is observed every year in early autumn after the conclusion of the summer harvest. It is observed by the Vajrayana Buddhist minority among the Newarpeople of Nepal. Also known as the festival of lights, it's celebrated by Sikhs, Hindus, Jains and some Buddhists. Diwali 2022: When is the festival of lights and how is it celebrated What Is Diwali? When and How to Celebrate This Indian Holiday | Martha This year it was from November 5th-9th and in 2019 it will be October 25-29th. It coincides with the day of Kali Chaudas. Illustrative Islamic records, states Stephen Blake, include those of 16th-century Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi who wrote, "during Diwali. the ignorant ones amongst Muslims, particularly women, perform the ceremonies they celebrate it like their own Id and send presents to their daughters and sisters,. they attach much importance and weight to this season [of Diwali]. What is Diwali? | University of Central Florida News This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Diwali-Hindu-festival, Diwali - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Diwali - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Diwali, also known as Deepawali, is the Hindu festival of lights. Every occasion represents two main things: 1. DIWALI. The darkest night is the apex of the celebration and coincides with the second half of October or early November in the Gregorian calendar. Most of the injuries sustained are Group I type burns (minor) requiring only outpatient care. In 2022, Diwali falls on October 24th which is a new moon day or Amavasya. [123], This day is commonly celebrated as Diwali in Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Karnataka. [50] It is mentioned in mentioned in early Sanskrit texts, such as the Padma Purana and the Skanda Purana, both of which were completed in the second half of the 1st millennium CE.