Diwali, also spelled Divali, one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, lasting for five days from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. What is Diwali? 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). It takes place on November 26 this year. The dates for Diwali change each year, as they are based on the Hindu lunisolar calendar. This year's date of celebration starts November 14, 2020. "When Is Diwali in 2021, 2022 and 2023?" This year, it begins in the first week of November from 2nd-6th. "There were a hundred-plus of us at my cousin's house each year," she explains. However, in South India, the festival is observed as the defeat of Narakasura. The exact dates change each year but this year, Diwali falls on Monday 24 October. Although not a primary festival of Buddhism, Diwali is celebrated by some Buddhists as a commemoration of the day when Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism in the 3rd century BCE. Monier Monier Williams (2008 updated, Harvard University), Sanskrit English dictionary, . ", Some inscriptions mention the festival of lights in Prakrit terms such as, The Sanskrit inscription is in the Grantha script. [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". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In his 11th-century memoir on India, the Persian traveler and historian Al Biruni wrote of Deepavali being celebrated by Hindus on the day of the New Moon in the month of Kartika. Many participate in other socio-political events as a symbol of support for diversity and inclusiveness. A 2017 estimate states 50,000 tons (100million pounds) of fireworks are exploded annually in India over the Diwali festival. [170] National and civic leaders such as the former Prince Charles have attended Diwali celebrations at prominent Hindu temples in the UK, such as the Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden, using the occasion to highlight contributions of the Hindu community to British society. It is mentioned in Sanskrit texts dating from the fourth century CE but was likely practiced for many hundreds of years before that. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning row of lights. The festival generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. [167] In 2020, the INDF ETF was launched to mark the start of Diwali. This year, Diwali begins on Monday 24 October on the Gregorian calendar. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. [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. Hindu temples on this day prepare and present "mountains of sweets" to the faithful who have gathered for darshan (visit). [143][147], The day celebrates the sibling bond between brother and sister. Since the 18th century, Diwali has been celebrated in Sikhism as the time of Guru Hargobinds return to Amritsar from captivity in Gwalior, an echo of Lord Ramas return to Ayodhya. In North India the festival also celebrates the royal homecoming of Rama (along with Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman) to the city of Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the 10-headed king of the demons, thus connecting the festival with the holiday of Dussehra. Some celebrate Diwali as a commemoration of the marriage of Lakshmi and Vishnu, while othersobserve it as the birthday of Lakshmi. "When Is Diwali in 2021, 2022 and 2023?" Although most important for Hindus, the festival is also observed by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. This is followed by Choti Diwali the next day and Diwali on November 4. 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. Diwali falls in either October or November each year, depending on the cycle of the moon. It is the main day of the Diwali festival. Diwali is celebrated on the 15th day of Kartik which is considered as the most serene months according to the Hindu Lunar calendar. The meaning of Diwaliand its many legends Diwali is so widely. The holiday overlaps with the Hindu New Year and as a result is associated with a chance to reset and start anew. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Some suggest he lived in the 5th-century BCE contemporaneously with the Buddha. [143] According to Kinsley, the ritual use of cow dung, a common fertiliser, is an agricultural motif and a celebration of its significance to annual crop cycles. Ubtan is applied by the women which is made up of special gram flour mixed with herbs for cleansing and beautifying themselves. Diwali 2021: What the holiday . It is usually celebrated on October or November every year. [61], Islamic historians of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire era also mentioned Diwali and other Hindu festivals. Hindus celebrate Diwali. 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. [135][61] While the cleaning, or painting, of the home is in part for goddess Lakshmi, it also signifies the ritual "reenactment of the cleansing, purifying action of the monsoon rains" that would have concluded in most of the Indian subcontinent. The Prayer Hymn (Aarti) for the Hindu Diwali Celebration, Hindu Calendar: Days, Months, Years and Epochs, The Real Reason for the Hindu Raksha Bandhan Celebration, History and Significance of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, Reasons to Celebrate Diwali the Festival of Lights, Calendar of Hindu Festivals, Fasts, and Religious Events 20202025, The History of Vasant Panchami, the Birth of Hindu Goddess Saraswati, A Guide to the 6 Seasons of the Hindu Calendar, A Guide to Lohri, The Hindu Winter Bonfire Festival, Evaluating Population Exposure to Environmental Pollutants During Deepavali Fireworks Displays Using Air Quality Measurements of the Safar Network, Whose Diwali Is It? Diwali is celebrated over five days in most of North India. 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. [125], Some Hindus observe Yama Deepam (also known as Yama Dipadana or Jam ke Diya) on the second day of Diwali, instead of the first day. [116], On Yama Deepam (also known as Yama Dipadana or Jam ke Diya), Hindus light a diya, ideally made of wheat flour and filled with sesame oil, that faces south in the back of their homes. Gambling, especially in the form of card games, is encouraged as a way of ensuring good luck in the coming year and in remembrance of the games of dice played by Shiva and Parvati on Mount Kailasa or similar contests between Radha and Krishna. The fourth day, known as GoverdhanPuja,Balipratipada,or Annakut, commemorating Krishnas defeat of Indra, the king of the gods, is also the first day of Karttika and the start of the new year in the Vikrama (Hindu) calendar. [141][142] In another interpretation, it is thought to reference the legend of Parvati and her husband Shiva playing a game of dyuta (dice) on a board of twelve squares and thirty pieces, Parvati wins. Diwali, also spelled Divali, one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, lasting for five days from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [112] [o] The looms, tools of trade, machines and workplaces are cleaned and prayers offered to these livelihood means. [109][133] According to Rachel Fell McDermott, a scholar of South Asian, particular Bengali, studies, in Bengal during Navaratri (Dussehra elsewhere in India) the Durga puja is the main focus, although in the eastern and north eastern states the two are synonymous, but on Diwali the focus is on the puja dedicated to Kali. [23][140] According to one tradition, the day is associated with the story of Bali's defeat at the hands of Vishnu. Diwali is celebrated for almost five days consecutively. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. This is believed to please Yama, the god of death, and to ward off untimely death. In 2023, it falls on a Sunday, and some businesses may choose to follow Sunday opening hours. [43], The puja and rituals in the Bengali Hindu community focus on Kali, the goddess of war, instead of Lakshmi. 2. [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. [43] The lamps from the puja ceremony are then used to light more earthenware lamps, which are placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses,[130] while some diyas are set adrift on rivers and streams. Diwali was celebrated as a signifier of triumph of good over evil after Krishna's Victory over Narakasura. [43][55], Emperor Harsha refers to Deepavali, in the 7th-century Sanskrit play Nagananda, as Dpapratipadotsava (dpa = light, pratipad = first day, utsava = festival), where lamps were lit and newly engaged brides and grooms received gifts. [139], The celebrations and rituals of the Jains and the Sikhs are similar to those of the Hindus where social and community bonds are renewed. Diwali will become a public school holiday in New York City starting next year, Mayor Eric Adams (D) announced Thursday.. Why it matters: Diwali, a celebration of light over darkness that starts on Oct. 24 this year, is one of the most sacred holidays observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. The first day, November 2, is Dhanteras. 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]. [116] On this day, many Hindus clean their homes and business premises. Monier Monier Williams (2008 updated, Harvard University), Sanskrit English dictionary, . Diwali was not a public holiday in Pakistan from 1947 to 2016. Diwali this year is a close-knit family affair. The exact dates change each year because it follows the lunar calendar, but it is typically celebrated in October or November over a 5-day span: On day. A diya that is filled with sesame oil is lit at back of their homes facing in the southern direction. A variety of sweets are prepared using flour, semolina, rice, chickpea flour, dry fruit pieces powders or paste, milk solids (mawa or khoya) and clarified butter (ghee). [128][95], The day after Diwali is the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartik. The height of Diwali is celebrated on the third day coinciding with the darkest night of Ashvin or Kartika. [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. Here is the schedule for Diwali 2022: Day 1: October 22, 2022 Trayodashi - Dhanteras; Day 2: October 23, 2022 Chaturdashi - Choti Diwali; Day 3: October 24, 2022 Amavasya - Diwali The second day is Naraka Chaturdashi. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [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. In 2022, Diwali falls on October 24th which is a new moon day or Amavasya. It also marks the beginning of the Hindu New 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. [50] You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. 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. [129] At dusk, family members gather for the Lakshmi Pujan,[129] although prayers will also be offered to other deities, such as Ganesha, Saraswati, Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Hanuman, or Kubera. Hindus celebrating Diwali in India. Diwali is a five-day religious festival. Also known as the festival of lights, it's celebrated by Sikhs, Hindus, Jains and some Buddhists. Diwali is the biggest holiday of the year in India. A solar calendar (like the Gregorian one) has an average of 365.24 days. [48] The festivities begin two days before amvasy, on Dhanteras, and extend two days after, until the second (or 17th) day of the month of Kartik. Diwali is celebrated in the Hindu month of Kartik. [n] Vishwakarma is the presiding Hindu deity for those in architecture, building, manufacturing, textile work and crafts trades. A lunar half-month is 15 days. [107] According to some observers, this traditional celebration by Newar Buddhists in Nepal, through the worship of Lakshmi and Vishnu during Diwali, is not syncretism but rather a reflection of the freedom within Mahayana Buddhist tradition to worship any deity for their worldly betterment.[29]. [117] Some Hindus observe Yama Deepa on the second night before the main day of Diwali.[118][119]. each day of the five-day Diwali comes with a different set of traditions. It's observed on the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. Diwali 2023: 12 th of November, Sunday It's observed on the 15th day of the month. [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. It is celebrated in October or November each year. The auspicious time to conduct Lakshmi Puja will begin at 6:09 pm and end at 8:04 pm, according to the Drik Panchang. Each day of the festival has special significance. A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements: msa (lunar month), paka (lunar fortnight) and tithi (lunar day). The Hindu calendar is based on both the sun and moon (while the Gregorian calendar is only based on the sun). Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. This year (2021), Diwali begins on Tuesday 2 November, with the peak day of celebrations happening on the third day, Thursday 4 November. Diwali, also known as Deepavali, falls on 4 November this year. Each day of Diwali is marked differently. Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune and prosperity, is the primary deity worshiped during Diwali. The dates of Diwali change every year, though the five day festival generally falls between late October and early November. Diwali symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". This year, Diwali will be on Thursday, Nov. 4. The main festival is on Sunday, but festivities begin on Friday, a day called Dhanteras. Dhan-trayodashi or Dhan teras: Dhan means "wealth" and Trayodashi means "thirteenth day." Thus, as the name . [137][138] According to Pintchman, who quotes Raghavan, this ritual may also be linked to the tradition in some communities of paying respect to ancestors. Diwali festivities usually last for 5 days. In 2023, Diwali is on November 12. They also spend time with family and friends to enjoy good food and fireworks. Forget bitterness. They install diyas, small earthen oil-filled lamps that they light up for the next five days, near Lakshmi and Ganesha iconography. [168], Diwali has increasingly attracted cultural exchanges, becoming occasions for politicians and religious leaders worldwide to meet Hindu or Indian origin citizens, diplomatic staff or neighbours. [60] It is mentioned in the Ramayana that Diwali was celebrated for only 2 years in Ayodhya. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1770209. The first day of Diwali is called Dhanvantari Triodasi or Dhanwantari Triodasi also called Dhan Theras. Each day has the following rituals and significance:[43], Dhanteras, derived from Dhan meaning wealth and teras meaning thirteenth, marks the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin or Kartik and the beginning of Diwali in most parts of India. Subhadra welcomes him with a tilaka on his forehead. . [95] According to the Jain tradition, this practice of lighting lamps first began on the day of Mahavira's nirvana in 527 BCE,[j] when 18 kings who had gathered for Mahavira's final teachings issued a proclamation that lamps be lit in remembrance of the "great light, Mahavira". It is observed by the Vajrayana Buddhist minority among the Newarpeople of Nepal. Diwali, the festival of lights, is a religious observance commemorated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists around the world. People illuminate their homes, temples and offices with diyas, candles and lanterns. 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. Diwali lasts five days, and the main celebrations are held on the third day of the festival. Facts about Diwali 1) Diwali is an important religious festival originating in India. Residents of Amritsar lit lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion. [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. [123], This day is commonly celebrated as Diwali in Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Karnataka. [162][q] ASSOCHAM, a trade organisation in India, forecasted that online shopping alone to be over 300 billion (US$3.8billion) over the 2017 Diwali season. Large government-sponsored festivals are held in London, Sydney, Toronto, and Edinburgh, and they are often a showcase for Indian culture, music, dance, fashion, food, crafts, and fireworks. The second day is devoted to Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Edward Reddcliff Diwali Dates Detailed Information Firecrackers also cause light pollution. We usually plan for our parents to visit us during this period but the pandemic has made it difficult this year for everyone. It's associated with Lord Ram's return to his kingdom in Ayodhya after exile and rescuing his wife from demon king Ravan on Dussehra. [153][p] In the modern day, Diwali mela are held at college, or university, campuses or as community events by members of the Indian diaspora. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. On this day, sisters will give gifts to their brothers and invite them to enjoy a meal. Every year it is celebrated on the darkest night of the Hindu month Kartika. Diwali is typically a four- or five-day event, starting two days before the new moon and extending two days afterward. Every autumn, the observance sees millions of people attend. But when Diwali occurs in the calendar changes every year. It is determined by the Indian calendar and the dates of celebration change every year. The festival climax is on the third day and is called the main Diwali. The one festival in India that is celebrated above the caste & religion that is Diwali. Find out all about the history, traditions and significance of Diwali in this blogpost. Diwali is generally a time for visiting, exchanging gifts, wearing new clothes, feasting, feeding the poor, and setting off fireworks (though such displays have been restricted to limit noise and other environmental pollution). 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. In South India the festival marks Krishnas defeat of the demon Narakasura. Homes are decorated, and floors inside and out are covered with rangoli, consisting of elaborate designs made of colouredrice, sand, or flower petals. According to Pintchman, the start of the 5-day Diwali festival is stated in some popular contemporary sources as the day Goddess Lakshmi was born from Samudra manthan, the churning of the cosmic ocean of milk by the Devas (gods) and the Asuras (demons) a Vedic legend that is also found in several Puranas such as the Padma Purana, while the night of Diwali is when Lakshmi chose and wed Vishnu. [77][78][i], The religious significance of Diwali varies regionally within India. These two festivals likely developed in tandem over their recent histories, states McDermott. [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. [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. The day before Diwali is remembered as Naraka Chaturdasi, the day on which Narakasura was killed by Krishna. This legend is remembered through the ritual of building small mountain-like miniatures from cow dung. When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? The festival typically lasts for four to five days and coincides with the new moon on the Hindu lunisolar calendar,. [43], The artisan Hindu and Sikh community celebrates the fourth day as the Vishwakarma puja day. The Diwali festival dates back to ancient times in India. The third day is the day of Lakshmi Puja and the darkest night of the traditional month. Sometimes these are wrapped with edible silver foil (vark). [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 is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. One particular firework called anar (fountain) has been found to be responsible for 65% of such injuries, with adults being the typical victims. The Hindu lunar calendar has two parts: dark (Krishna paksha, or "waning moon" in Sanskrit) and light (hukla paksha, or "waxing moon"), and the new moon (amavasya) always occurs in between the parts, typically on the 15th. Diwali celebrations can last for about five days. [101] According to J.S. Historical records appear inconsistent about the name of the lunar month in which Diwali is observed. Though technically religious, it's also become a cultural event in North America that's celebrated with sweets and special foods. Traditionally, Marathi Hindus and South Indian Hindus receive an oil massage from the elders in the family on the day and then take a ritual bath, all before sunrise. 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. [56][57] Rajasekhara referred to Deepavali as Dipamalika in his 9th-century Kavyamimamsa, wherein he mentions the tradition of homes being whitewashed and oil lamps decorated homes, streets and markets in the night. [68] In his paper on The Lunar Year of the Hindus, Jones, then based in Bengal, noted four of the five days of Diwali in the autumn months of Aswina-Cartica [sic] as the following: Bhutachaturdasi Yamaterpanam (2nd day), Lacshmipuja dipanwita (the day of Diwali), Dyuta pratipat Belipuja (4th day), and Bhratri dwitiya (5th day). Das, Subhamoy. Corrections? ", Christopher H. Johnson, Simon Teuscher & David Warren Sabean 2011, India Journal: Tis the Season to be Shopping, Pakistan parliament adopts resolution for Holi, Diwali, Easter holidays, "The Svanti Festival: Victory over Death and the Renewal of the Ritual Cycle in Nepal", "Diwali Festival 2020 India:Date,Story,Celebration,Diwali Special Gift", "Krishna Killed Narakasur - The Narakasur Legend of Diwali - Diwali Legend", Diwali Celebrating the triumph of goodness, "2020 Yama Deepam date and timings for New Delhi, NCT, India", "The 'Yam-deep' or 'Jam ke Deeya' SWAHA International", "Significance of Yama Deepam on Diwali Eve", "Choti Diwali 2020 date: Kali Chaudas significance, when and how to celebrate", "2020 Hanuman Puja date and time during Diwali for New Delhi, NCT, India", If You Missed Diwali in India, Dallas Is the Place to Be, Manchester Dashehra and Diwali Mela plans announced, Festive season to boost India gold buying, India's banks face pre-Diwali cash crunch, Diwali lights up consumer spending, festive spirit beats inflation, Fear Of Toxic Smog Leads India To Limit Diwali Fireworks, Firework Facts: Americans Incinerate $1 Billion in July Fourth Fireworks Every Year, Oneline sales may surpass Rs 30000 crores in festive months, Average family to spend Rs. Furthermore, it is a celebration of the day Rama returned to his kingdom in Ayodhya with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana after defeating the demon Ravana. What makes Dev Deepawali different from Diwali? Among Hindus the most widespread customis the lighting of diyas (small earthenware lamps filled with oil) on the night of the new moon to invite the presence of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. While Diwali spans five days, the holiday reaches its peak on day three this year, falling on Oct. 24, 2022. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [183] These invisible yet harmful particles affect the environment and in turn, put people's health at stake. The duration will be 1 hour 56 minutes. The lighting of the lamps celebrates the light of Mahaviras holy knowledge. In India, while everyone celebrates Deepavali, people don't amass in public, but rather in small groups with their friends and families in homes, neighborhoods, and local temple communities. Major temples and homes are decorated with lights, festive foods shared with all, friends and relatives remembered and visited with gifts. When Is Diwali in 2021, 2022 and 2023? While different historical events are observed in different regions and by different faiths, Diwali represents the triumph of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance for all the cultures that celebrate it. It is a time when families come together, friends are reunited and everyone celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It is one of the most important festivals within Hinduism[7][8] where it generally lasts five days (or six in some regions of India), and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin (according to the amanta tradition) and Kartika (between mid-October and mid-November).
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