Diwali Celebrations

Diwali or Dīpāvali (das indische Lichterfest) a  Deepavali (deep = light and avali = a row i.e., a row of lights)row of lamps(Diyas ).

Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is the most popular of all the festivals from South Asia, and is also the occasion for celebrations by Jains and Sikhs as well as Hindus.

Day before the Diwali is called the day “Naraka Chatur dasi” The Killing  the  evil” King Narakasura “ is a symbolism” Good over Evil “to celebrate “To light Diyas “

The Godess Lakshmi on this Narakasura day was decorated or seen with oil or water..
It’s a belief that” all the people have to take head bath with an oil .”This Bath needs to be performed in the early mornings .Due the Cosmic nature of  Swathi Star the water great importance in it .The air gets the grace and so its important to consider an early bath in the mornings as the time is specific .This a kind of Tradition of the “Head Bath “  This makes a good start in our lives that Godess Lakshmi is going to bless you and your families .

The person who commits sin has to be punished..This “Killing of Narakasura “ is an example . This also “ Make a doll with a paper which represent King Naraksura “ and burn it out side and take a head bath “ this has inner meaning “Killing the doll “ makes to “Killing the Evil nature in you “

Diwali also celebrated “ the return of King Rama, King of Ayodhya, with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana to Ayodhya after a 14 year exile, and a war in which he killed Demon King “ Ravana”.

It is believed that the people of Ayodhya lit ghee lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness. Since Ram traveled from South India to his kingdom in North India, he passed through the south earlier. This is the reason why the festival is celebrated a day earlier in South India

It is belived this day is also as Padavs returning day : In this “The great Hindu epic 'Mahabharata' has another interesting story related to the 'Kartik Amavasyaa'. According to the story, 'the Pandavas', the five brothers Yudhishthhira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahdeva, were sentenced to thirteen years exile as a result of their defeat against 'the Kauravas' - Duryodhana and his ninety nine brothers, at the game of dice. Therefore, the Pandavas spent thirteen years in the jungles and returned to their kingdom on the day of 'Kartik Amavasyaa'. On their return, the people of their kingdom welcomed the Pandavas by celebrating the event by lighting the earthen lamps all over in their city.

Diwali has a very special significance in Jainism, just like Buddha Purnima, the date of Buddha's Nirvana, is for Buddhists as Christmas is for Christians. Lord Mahavira, the last of the Jain Tirthankaras, attained Nirvana or Moksha on this day at Pavapuri on Oct. 15, 527 BC, on Chaturdashi of Kartika, as Tilyapannatti of Yativrashaba from the sixth century states:

For Sikhs, Diwali is particularly important because it celebrates the release from prison of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind Ji, (hence also called "Bandi Chhorh Diwas" or "the day of release of detainees") and 52 other princes with him, from the Gwalior Fort in 1619.




Light and Dark are the common in life .Like the  Dark is Narakasura ‘s Killing makes you get Light “ Difficulies  has to be faced with lot of patience in order to gain prosperity . This is the main gospel of “ Naraka Chaturdasi day “

Lights & Firecrackers
 The illumination of homes with lights and the skies with firecrackers is an expression of obeisance to the heavens for the attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace and prosperity. According to one belief, the sound of fire-crackers are an indication of the joy of the people living on earth, making the gods aware of their plentiful state. Still another possible reason has a more scientific basis: the fumes produced by the crackers kill a lot of insects and mosquitoes, found in plenty after the rains.

Tradition of Gambling: Gamblers day :

The tradition of gambling on Diwali also has a legend behind it. It is believed that on this day, Goddess Parvati played dice with her husband Lord Shiva, and she decreed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night would prosper throughout the ensuing year. Diwali is associted with wealth and prosperity in many ways, and the festival of 'Dhanteras' ('dhan' = wealth; 'teras' = 13th) is celebrated two days before the festival of lights.

On Going Stories :

U.S. President Barack Obama lights the lamp during Diwali celebration at the White House on Thursday.

Washington: U.S President Barack Obama celebrated Diwali on Thursday by lighting the ceremonial lamp at the White House amid chanting of Vedic mantras seeking world peace. He is the first U.S. President to personally grace the occasion.
“I think it’s fitting that we begin this work in the week leading up to the holiday of Diwali — the festival of lights — when members of some of the world’s greatest faiths celebrate the triumph of good over evil,” Mr. Obama said at the function held at the historic East Room.
“This coming Saturday, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, here in America and around the world, will celebrate this holiday by lighting ‘diyas,’ or lamps, which symbolise the victory of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance,” Mr. Obama said.

Major Diwali celebrations planned in UK

London, Oct 16 (PTI) A major firework and laser display has been organised this weekend to mark the finale of Diwali celebrations at Leicester in the UK, where the festival of lights is reputed to be the largest outside India.
People of Indian origin have made several plans to celebrate the festival in various parts of Britain, particularly in towns such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinbrugh and Bristol.