Diwali

Happy Diwali
From 101lifeStyle.com

About Diwali:

Diwali is the most popular festival of the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy all over India as well as abroad. In Nepal it is called 'Tihar' and 'Swanti'.This festival is also known as "festival of Lights" as colorful diyas and lights are lit to decorate the homes, along with fire works which are enjoyed by people of all age groups. Diwali falls in late Ashwin (September - October) to early Kartik (October - November) 20 days after Dussehra on the new-moon (Amavasya) night according to the Hindu Lunar Calendar. Celebrated for five days with fervor, this festivals is associated with rangolis, sweets, fire crackers, as people of Northern India worship Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Prosperity and Wealth and Lord Ganesha who is the God of all auspicious beginnings and worshipped in all pujas before any other God or Goddess.

The name 'Diwali' is derived from the word 'Deepavali' which means an 'rows of lamps '. Small and big clay lamps or diyas are lit to drive away the evil forces and bring in good luck and prosperity and guide the Goddess of wealth, Goddess Lakshmi into one's home. The festival of Diwali is incomplete without the exchange of gifts. People exchange gifts and wear new clothings and make sweet preparations, perform pujas and visit relatives and friends.

Diwali is considered the National Festival of India and Nepal. Deepavali marks the victory of good over evil. In Northern India Diwali signifies the return or Lord Ram to his kingdom of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. The people of Ayodhya decorated the kingdom by lighting diyas and hence the name Deepavali or Diwali. In Southern India, this day is celebrated as the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura. In Eastern India, people celebrate the day as Kali Puja, who is the Goddess of Shakti. In Western India, the day signifies the victory of Lord Vishnu over the demon-king Bali who was ordered to rule the nether-world. In Jainism, the day marks the attainment of moksha by Mahavira on 15th October 527 BC. In Sikhism, Diwali commemorates the release of Guru Har Gobind Ji from imprisonment along with the release of 52 Hindu Kings.

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