 "Ten things you should know about Diwali")
Diwali, also referred to as Deepavali or the festival of lights, is one of the most popular Hindu festivals in India. The word Deepavali means a 'row or u series of lights’. Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs to mark historical events, stories or myths, but they all spiritually mark the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, hope over despair.
Here are 10 important things that you should know about Diwali:
1. It is celebrated in honour of Lakshmi – the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. The festival also marks the return of Lord Ram and Sita after completing 14 years in exile.
2. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five-day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month of Kartika in Bikram Sambat calendar.
3. Diwali is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Hindu month of Kartika. It also signifies the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter.
4. Diwali has a special significance in Jainism. Lord Mahavira, the last of the Jain Tirthankar of this era, attained Nirvana or Moksh on this day at Pavapuri on October 15, 527 BCE, on Chaturdashi of Kartika.
5. Diwali also plays a significant role in Sikhism. The foundation stone of the Golden Temple was laid on the day of Diwali in 1577 AD.
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6. Diwali, for Sikhs, marks the Bandi Chhor Divas, when Guru Har Gobind Ji freed himself and Hindu kings from the prison of Islamic ruler Jahangir Fort Gwalior, and arrived at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
7. In India's eastern region, mainly West Bengal, Kali is worshipped on Diwali and the festival is called Kali Puja. In India's Braj and north central regions, Lord Krishna is worshipped on this day. People mark Mount Govardhan, and celebrate legends about Krishna.
8. It is a national holiday in India, Trinidad & Tobago, Myanmar, Nepal, Mauritius, Guyana, Singapore, Surinam, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Fiji. In Pakistan, it is an optional holiday.
9. Though gambling is completely banned in India, there has been a tradition of playing cards on Diwali. Some people believe playing card games on Diwali brings good luck and prosperity in the year ahead.
10. At the international border, every year on Diwali, Indian forces approach Pakistani forces and offer traditional Indian sweets. This year, however, amid recent tensions between the two nations, this ritual has has also suffered. The Border Security Forces have decided not to go ahead with it this time.