[79] The festival formally begins two days before the night of Diwali, and ends two days thereafter. [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 celebrated on the 15th day of Kartik which is considered as the most serene months according to the Hindu Lunar calendar. Learn Religions. All About Diwali 2022: When & How to Celebrate | CompareRemit A variety of entertainments are usually available for inhabitants of the local community to enjoy. Dates for 2020 to 2025." Diwali lasts five days, and the main celebrations are held on the third day of the festival. This year, Diwali 2022 begins on Monday, October 24, 2022 (24/10/2022), and finishes on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 (26/10/2022). [117][118][119], The third day is the height of the festival,[126] and coincides with the last day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin or Kartik. Diwali for the year 2022 is observed on 24 October, which falls on a Monday. When is Diwali? The first day of Diwali is called Dhanvantari Triodasi or Dhanwantari Triodasi also called Dhan Theras. This event is free and UCF students of all backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Shiva surrenders his shirt and adornments to her, rendering him naked. Spread joy. * Diwali is typically a four- or five-day event, starting two days before the new moon and extending two days afterward. Ubtan is applied by the women which is made up of special gram flour mixed with herbs for cleansing and beautifying themselves. [135][136] At dusk, lamps placed earlier in the inside and outside of the home are lit up to welcome Lakshmi. It is a day in which people rid themselves of evil and everything negative. Important Read: Tips to Celebrate Diwali in 2021 History and Significance of Diwali [101] According to J.S. [28][29][30], Diwali is also a major cultural event for the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain diaspora. These lamps symbolize the light of inner spirituality that protects us from the spiritual darkness that threatens to engulf us. Related: 25 Diwali Facts When is Diwali 2022? [41], Diwali (English: /dwli/)[9] or Divali[44] is from the Sanskrit dpvali meaning "row or series of lights". [29][30] Newar Buddhists in Nepalese valleys also celebrate the Diwali festival over five days, in much the same way, and on the same days, as the Nepalese Hindu Diwali-Tihar festival. The word "avali" means row and "deepa . This year's date of celebration starts November 14, 2020. . It's the holiday season and Diwali is around the corner. 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. The Diwali-related inscription is the 4th inscription and it includes the year Vikrama Era 1268 (c. 1211 CE). It is determined by the Indian calendar and the dates of celebration change every year. It's a celebration that takes place 15 days after Diwali - the Hindu festival of lights. [77][78][i], The religious significance of Diwali varies regionally within India. Diwali, for Vasavada, would always culminate in a large family feast with enough food to feed a small town. This begins with the first day known as "Dhanteras' or the worship of wealth. This year's date of celebration starts November 14, 2020. [4] Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Newar Buddhists,[29] although for each faith it marks different historical events and stories, but nonetheless the festival represents the same symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Diwali Celebrations Dates in Different Regions Diwali 2023 (Deepavali 2023) is on Sunday, November 12th in India. Diwali is known as the festival of lights in India. It is observed on the 15th day of the 8th month (the month of Kartik) in India's calendar. [31][32][33] The main day of the festival of Diwali (the day of Lakshmi Puja) is an official holiday in Fiji,[34] Guyana,[35] India, Malaysia,[a][36] Mauritius, Myanmar,[37] Nepal,[38] Pakistan,[39] Singapore,[40] Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Sainsbury's bans fireworks across . The celebration will include dancing, a fashion show and other performances, as well as free food. [27] Newar Buddhists, unlike other Buddhists, celebrate Diwali by worshipping Lakshmi, while the Hindus of Eastern India and Bangladesh generally celebrate Diwali by worshipping the goddess Kali. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Homes are decorated, and floors inside and out are covered with rangoli, consisting of elaborate designs made of colouredrice, sand, or flower petals. In 2022, Diwali is on October 24. It's observed on the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. Diwali was celebrated as a signifier of triumph of good over evil after Krishna's Victory over Narakasura. [50] It is mentioned in mentioned in early Sanskrit texts, such as the Padma Purana and the Skanda Purana, both of which were completed in the second half of the 1st millennium CE. As the term "Festival of Lights" suggests, the celebration involves millions of lights illuminated from rooftops, doorways, and windows in thousands of temples and buildings all over the countries where the festival is observed. The main festival day falls on a different date each autumn, timed to the Hindu lunar calendar, but it . Diwali is also an important festival in Jainism. Diwali along with Holi for Hindus, and Easter for Christians, was adopted as public holiday resolution by Pakistan's parliament in 2016, giving the local governments and public institutions the right to declare Holi as a holiday and grant leave for its minority communities, for the first time. Diwali, also spelled Divali, is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. The women, in particular, adorn themselves in colourful attire and decorate their hands with henna. Diwali is celebrated for almost five days consecutively. On the Gregorian calendar, the festival falls between October and November. [108] During Diwali, people wear their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with saaki (earthen lamp), diyas and rangoli, perform worship ceremonies of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth,[l] light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared. Here's how India is celebrating Diwali - NPR.org 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 Deepawali, known as the "festival of lights," is usually celebrated in October or November, and is on October 24 this year. Deepavali means a row of lights, where 'deep' means light and 'avali' means row. The festivities vary between different regions. [159][160] According to Rao, Diwali is one of the major festivals where rural Indians spend a significant portion of their annual income, and is a means for them to renew their relationships and social networks. The dates for Diwali change each year, as they are based on the Hindu lunisolar calendar. This is believed to please Yama, the god of death, and to ward off untimely death. The festival climax is on the third day and is called the main Diwali. [20], The festival is an annual homecoming and bonding period not only for families,[17][18] but also for communities and associations, particularly those in urban areas, which will organise activities, events and gatherings. The Jain Diwali celebrated in many parts of India has similar practices to the Hindu Diwali, such as the lighting of lamps and the offering of prayers to Lakshmi. [167] In 2020, the INDF ETF was launched to mark the start of Diwali. Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. Diwali falls in either October or November each year, depending on the cycle of the moon. [9][10][11] It is a post-harvest festival celebrating the bounty following the arrival of the monsoon in the subcontinent.[12]. Diwali, the festival of lights, is a religious observance commemorated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists around the world. The Vishwakarma puja day is alternatively observed in other Hindu communities in accordance with the Hindu solar calendar, and this falls in September. Diwali/Deepavali - Time and Date Diwali will become an official holiday on school calendars in New York However, in South India, the festival is observed as the defeat of Narakasura. There are many stories around the celebration of Diwali. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1770209. 10 fabulous facts about Diwali! - National Geographic Kids [56], Diwali was also described by numerous travelers from outside India. [61], Islamic historians of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire era also mentioned Diwali and other Hindu festivals. 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 Australia, over one million Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs celebrate versions of the festival, which include Tihar and Bandi Chhor Diwas. [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. In some months, a day needs to be dropped to correlate with a shorter lunar cycle. [92][12], Originally a Hindu festival, Diwali has transcended religious lines. This year, Diwali will be on Thursday, Nov. 4. When is Navaratri in 2021, 2022, and 2023? When Is Diwali 2021 and How Is the Festival of Lights Celebrated? [116] On this day, many Hindus clean their homes and business premises. Diwali is celebrated in the Hindu month of Kartik. One tradition links the festival to legends in the Hindu epic Ramayana, where Diwali is the day Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman reached Ayodhya after a period of 14 years in exile after Rama's army of good defeated demon king Ravana's army of evil. [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. ", 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. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. According to a Government of Himachal Pradesh and India publication, the Vishvakarma puja is observed on the fourth day of Diwali in the Himalayan state. Diwali is observed as a Gazetted Holiday throughout the nation. Dates for 2020 to 2025. In India, the holiday always falls on the 15th of Kartik, the first month of the Hindu lunar calendar . [124], As the evening approaches, celebrants will wear new clothes or their best outfits, teenage girls and women, in particular, wear saris and jewelry. Monier Monier Williams (2008 updated, Harvard University), Sanskrit English dictionary, . [115][144][145], The agricultural symbolism is also observed on this day by many Hindus as Annakut, literally "mountain of food". When is Diwali 2022? What to know the festival of lights - Deseret News Kartik overlaps with October and November. ", Some inscriptions mention the festival of lights in Prakrit terms such as, The Sanskrit inscription is in the Grantha script. The holiday overlaps with the Hindu New Year and as a result is associated with a chance to reset and start anew. [114], According to Tracy Pintchman, Dhanteras is a symbol of annual renewal, cleansing and an auspicious beginning for the next year. We usually plan for our parents to visit us during this period but the pandemic has made it difficult this year for everyone. Diwali (Deepavali) Nov 27, 2023: Guru Nanak's Birthday: Dec 25, 2023: Christmas Day: Which are the other holidays in India? Because the festival of Diwali is celebrated according to the lunar calendar, the dates are different each year. This legend is remembered through the ritual of building small mountain-like miniatures from cow dung. Residents of Amritsar lit lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion. [117] Some Hindus observe Yama Deepa on the second night before the main day of Diwali.[118][119]. The word Deepawali comes from the Sanskrit word deep, which means an Indian lantern/lamp. Hence Deepavali has been . Every year the festival falls either in November or in October and that depends on how the cycle of moon is going in that particular year. Hindus celebrate Diwali. [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. The reason Diwali's celebration date is different each year is that each of the Hindu calendarsthere are severalis lunisolar, meaning they take into effect both the movements of the sun and the moon. Learn Religions, Sep. 4, 2021, learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1770209. Diwali is celebrated for five days, each with its own special significance. [15][131][132] After the puja, people go outside and celebrate by lighting up patakhe (fireworks) together, and then share a family feast and mithai (sweets, desserts). The Hindu calendar is based on both the sun and moon (while the Gregorian calendar is only based on the sun). Such events are also mentioned in Sikh historical records. For some Hindus, it is a day to pray for the peace to the manes, or defiled souls of one's ancestors and light their way for their journeys in the cyclic afterlife. It's celebrated across five days with the day of Diwali observed on the new moon or Amavasya. Lasting over five days, the holiday is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs worldwide. The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. Diwali 2022: What Is Diwali? - The Old Farmer's Almanac The 5 days of Diwali 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. These clay lamps represent "the inner light that protects each household from spiritual darkness." While each day of Diwali has its own importance, on the third day of Diwali, this year on Oct. 24, people gather at temples to honor the goddess Lakshmi. Diwali (English: /dwli/), Dewali, Divali,[3] or Deepavali (IAST: dpval), also known as the Festival of Lights,[4][5] related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious[6] celebration in Indian religions. Sikhs historically referred to this festival as Diwali. This year, it begins in the first week of November from 2nd-6th. Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs, built a well in Goindwal with eighty-four steps and invited Sikhs to bathe in its sacred waters on Baisakhi and Diwali as a form of community bonding. [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. When is Diwali 2022: What is Diwali, who celebrates it and how to wish Diwali is celebrated every year in either October or November, based on the lunar cycle. When is Diwali this year and how to celebrate the Festival of Lights 25 Diwali Facts - Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays Diwali is the Indian "festival of lights"a holiday that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. The festivals and . The darkest night is the apex of the celebration and coincides with the second half of October or early November in the Gregorian calendar. For example, the Singaporean government, in association with the Hindu Endowment Board of Singapore, organises many cultural events during Diwali every year. Diwali 2023 dates | When Is Diwali/ Deepawali in 2023? At such events a variety of music, dance and arts performances, food, crafts, and cultural celebrations are featured. The names and events of the individual days of Diwali are as follows: The first day, known as Dhanteras, is dedicated to cleaning homes and purchasing small items of gold. [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. [86], Mythical tales shared on Diwali vary widely depending on region and even within Hindu tradition,[88] yet all share a common focus on righteousness, self-inquiry and the importance of knowledge,[89][90] which, according to Lindsey Harlan, an Indologist and scholar of Religious Studies, is the path to overcoming the "darkness of ignorance". Scholars contest the 527 BCE date and consider Mahavira's biographical details as uncertain. Cook, Sharell. It coincides with the day of Kali Chaudas. 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). Dipa oil lamps are often lit for Diwali celebrations. When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? [140] According to Handelman and Shulman, as quoted by Pintchman, this legend is a Hindu metaphor for the cosmic process for creation and dissolution of the world through the masculine destructive power, as represented by Shiva, and the feminine procreative power, represented by Parvati, where twelve reflects the number of months in the cyclic year, while thirty are the number of days in its lunisolar month. This year, Diwali will be celebrated on October 24. This festive day is interpreted by some to symbolise Yama's sister Yamuna welcoming Yama with a tilaka, while others interpret it as the arrival of Krishna at his sister Subhadra's place after defeating Narakasura. The course of the five days includes cleaning . Next year (2024) November 1 (Friday) Last year (2022) October 24 (Monday) This holiday gets its name from the rows of clay lamps that Indians light just outside their houses. [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. When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? Dates for 2020 to 2025 - Learn Religions Confectioners and shops create Diwali-themed decorative displays, selling these in large quantities, which are stocked for home celebrations to welcome guests and as gifts. Corrections? Diwali is a five-day festival begins with Dhanteras and ends with Bhai Dooj. Hindu temples on this day prepare and present "mountains of sweets" to the faithful who have gathered for darshan (visit). The second day is Naraka Chaturdashi. [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. [154][155][91], Diwali marks a major shopping period in India,[31] and is comparable to the Christmas period in terms of consumer purchases and economic activity. What is Diwali and how do Australian communities celebrate it? Happy Diwali 2022: how will the festival of lights be celebrated this year? 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. Fireworks are often set off in the evening to celebrate Diwali. Diwali celebrations burst into life on the third day of the five day festival of lights, which falls between October and November with a changing date each year. In 2019, Diwali started on October 25 as reported by The Fact. Diwali Decor. 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. 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'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. The second day is devoted to Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Edward Reddcliff [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. [174][175] Barack Obama became the first president to personally attend Diwali at the White House in 2009. It is celebrated in India and other countries such as Nepal, Malaysia, Fiji, and Mauritius. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Diwali, like many other Indian holidays, is based on the Indian lunar calendar, so the (internationally used) date of the festival changes each year, but it typically falls between mid-October and early November. They celebrate by lighting lamps, decorating temples and monasteries, and worshipping the Buddha. 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. Diwali falls in either October or November each year, depending on the cycle of the moon. Diwali takes places every year, either in October or November, depending on the position of the Moon. [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. Some celebrate Diwali as a commemoration of the marriage of Lakshmi and Vishnu, while othersobserve it as the birthday of Lakshmi. DEV DEEPAWALI - November 26, 2023 - National Today Diwali Is a Festival of Sweet Delights - Food & Wine [12] Chhoti Diwali is also a day for visiting friends, business associates and relatives, and exchanging gifts. 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 is celebrated in the Hindu month of Kartik. Cook, Sharell. The dates of Diwali change every year as it dependent on the moon cycle. One tradition starts a new month from the new moon, while the other starts it from the full moon. [186], (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority, (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies. Diwali is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. "There were a hundred-plus of us at my cousin's house each year," she explains. It is celebrated for five days across India and other parts of southern Asia, as well as in many other places around the world. UCF's Indian Student Association (ISA) will host Diwali event at the Hindu Society of Central Florida Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. Diwali, Divali, Deepavali: How you celebrated the festival of lights [91] The telling of these myths are reminiscent of the Hindu belief that good ultimately triumphs over evil. The Diwali festival actually runs for five days, with the main event happening on the third day in most places in India. (The corresponding dates in the Gregorian calendar usually fall in late October and November.) Diwali this year is a close-knit family affair. [126] Family members light up firecrackers, which some interpret as a way to ward off all evil spirits and the inauspicious, as well as add to the festive mood.