Merchants perform religious ceremonies and open new account books. 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. [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. DIWALI. Diwali is a five-day festival begins with Dhanteras and ends with Bhai Dooj. [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. Diwali is the biggest holiday of the year in India. 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. 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. [124] Many visit their favourite Hindu temple. Hit ctrl+D to bookmark this page, and share this page with your friends. [43] In western states such as Gujarat, and certain northern Hindu communities of India, the festival of Diwali signifies the start of a new year. [124][128] Shops either do not open or close early on this day allowing employees to enjoy family time. https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1539426 (accessed March 4, 2023). Some diyas may also be set adrift on streams and river and the evening is marked with fireworks. This year, the biggest day of festivities (Lakshmi Puja) will take place on November 4, 2021. Residents of Amritsar lit lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion. The fourth day has different names in different regions and typically celebrates the marital bond. Learn about Diwali, when it occurs, and common traditions! In 2013, about 25 billion (US$310million) of fireworks were sold to merchants for the Diwali season, an equivalent retail value of about 50 billion (US$630million) according to The Times of India. Diwali is observed as a Gazetted Holiday throughout the nation. All the days except Diwali are named using the designation in the Indian calendar. When is Diwali? The day also marks a major shopping day to purchase new utensils, home equipment, jewelry, firecrackers, and other items. 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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. While Diwali spans five days, the holiday reaches its peak on day three this year, falling on Oct. 24, 2022. This year it was from November 5th-9th and in 2019 it will be October 25-29th. Diwali 2021: What the holiday . [121] The day and its rituals are interpreted as ways to liberate any souls from their suffering in "Naraka", or hell, as well as a reminder of spiritual auspiciousness. 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. [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.) amnta / primnta. Diwali Celebrations Dates in Different Regions Diwali 2023 (Deepavali 2023) is on Sunday, November 12th in India. People illuminate their homes, temples and offices with diyas, candles and lanterns. According to Audrey Truschke, the Sunni Muslim emperor Aurangzeb did limit "public observation" of many religious holidays such as Hindu Diwali and Holi, but also of Shia observance of Muharram and the Persian holiday of Nauruz. [77][78][i], The religious significance of Diwali varies regionally within India. [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. The festival climax is on the third day and is called the main Diwali. This year, Diwali begins on Monday 24 October on the Gregorian calendar. Diwali is celebrated over five days in most of North India. The Lacshmipuja dipanwita, remarked Jones, was a "great festival at night, in honour of Lakshmi, with illuminations on trees and houses".[68][f]. Hindus celebrating Diwali in India. "When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? [23] Another aspect of the festival is remembering the ancestors. [43][82] Along with Lakshmi, who is representative of Vaishnavism, Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Parvati and Shiva of Shaivism tradition, is remembered as one who symbolises ethical beginnings and the remover of obstacles. The festivals and . It is the main day of the Diwali festival. Naraka Chaturdashi is the second day of the festival on November 3. 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 lighting of the lamps celebrates the light of Mahaviras holy knowledge. 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. Meaning "rows of lighted lamps," Diwali is a celebration of light over darkness for different cultures across the world, especially South Asia. The festival isn't celebrated in Kerala though. This year's festival begins on Oct. 22. [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. Like : If I was born on Sept 18 th - which is a full moon day I need to celebrate my bday on a full moon day in that month( even month is different from calender months) Hop. Diwali or Deepavali, also known as the "Festival of Lights," is the biggest festival in theHindu calendar, celebrated in early fall of each year. It's believed that on this day the Goddess Lakshmi, often associated with wealth, abundance and good fortune, visits people's homes and fulfils their desires. [112] [o] The looms, tools of trade, machines and workplaces are cleaned and prayers offered to these livelihood means. Diwali is celebrated on the 15th day of Kartik which is considered as the most serene months according to the Hindu Lunar calendar. Diwali is usually celebrated twenty days after the Vijayadashami festival, with Dhanteras, or the regional equivalent, marking the first day of the festival when celebrants prepare by cleaning their homes and making decorations on the floor, such as rangolis. This year, Diwali will be celebrated on October 24. The lighting of the lamps celebrates the light of Mahaviras holy knowledge. The third day is Diwali and the height of the festival. Diwali is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. [171][172] Since 2009, Diwali has been celebrated every year at 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British Prime Minister. The Diwali festival dates back to ancient times in India. [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. [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. It is celebrated in October or November each year. Deepavali means a row of lights, where 'deep' means light and 'avali' means row. [56], Diwali was also described by numerous travelers from outside India. Omissions? [59][60] The 16th-century Portuguese traveler Domingo Paes wrote of his visit to the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire, where Dipavali was celebrated in October with householders illuminating their homes, and their temples, with lamps. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Diwali is also an important festival in Jainism. The date of the five day festival changes every year in accordance with the Hindu and lunar calendar. [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. 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. It is observed by the Vajrayana Buddhist minority among the Newarpeople of Nepal. [43], The artisan Hindu and Sikh community celebrates the fourth day as the Vishwakarma puja day. It is determined by the Indian calendar and the dates of celebration change every year. It coincides with the new moon (amvasy) and is deemed the darkest night of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. [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". Diwali is the Indian "festival of lights"a holiday that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. In South India the festival marks Krishnas defeat of the demon Narakasura. In some parts of India, the day after Lakshmi Puja is marked with the Govardhan Puja and Balipratipada (Padwa). Dipa oil lamps are often lit for Diwali celebrations. Diwali/Deepavali is a public holiday. The celebration of Diwali aligns with the new moon, so it's celebrated on a different day each year. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning row of lights. The festival generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. As an auspicious occasion, many Hindus will make big purchases as it's believed that this will bring good luck. [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. Ths festival of lights, i.e. Unlike some other festivals, the Hindus typically do not fast during the five-day long Diwali including Lakshmi Pujan, rather they feast and share the bounties of the season at their workplaces, community centres, temples, and homes. Diwali festivities include a celebration of sights, sounds, arts and flavours. The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. The date of Deepavali on the new moon makes it the darkest night in the month of Kartik, when the nights are cold, long, and dark: all the lights make that darkness easier to bear. 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. Since the 18th century, Diwali has been celebrated in Sikhism as the time of Guru Hargobinds return to Amritsar from captivity in Gwalioran echo of Ramas return to Ayodhya. Diwali Dates Detailed Information The festival typically lasts for four to five days and coincides with the new moon on the Hindu lunisolar calendar,. 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. Some Muslims joined the Hindu community in celebrating Diwali in the Mughal era. During the festival, diyas are lit and placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses and set adrift on rivers and streams. Diwali was not a public holiday in Pakistan from 1947 to 2016. Lasting over five days, the holiday is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs worldwide. It is traditionally a puja, or a celebration that worships, honors, and shows devotion to the divine. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Diwali is the symbol of the victory of good over evil, of hope over despair and of knowledge over ignorance. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. Learn Religions, Sep. 4, 2021, learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1770209. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1539426. 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). In the lead-up to Diwali, celebrants prepare by cleaning, renovating, and decorating their homes and workplaces with diyas (oil lamps) and rangolis (colorful art circle patterns). Diwali, also known as Deepavali, falls on 4 November this year. Diwali Decor. [13][14][15][16] The festival is widely associated with Lakshmi,[17][18] goddess of prosperity and Ganesha, god of wisdom and the remover of obstacles, with many other regional traditions connecting the holiday to Sita and Rama, Vishnu, Krishna, Durga, Shiva, Kali, Hanuman, Kubera, Yama, Yami, Dhanvantari, or Vishvakarman. [64][65][d][e], Publications from the British colonial era also made mention of Diwali, such as the note on Hindu festivals published in 1799 by Sir William Jones, a philologist known for his early observations on Sanskrit and Indo-European languages. The celebration will include dancing, a fashion show and other performances, as well as free food. The fifth day, called Bhai Dooj, Bhai Tika, or Bhai Bij, celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. This event is free and UCF students of all backgrounds are encouraged to attend. The main festival day falls on a different date each autumn, timed to the Hindu lunar calendar, but it . The height of Diwali is celebrated on the third day coinciding with the darkest night of Ashvin or Kartika.