Information for Mihaela on Diwali

[Guest guest]

This is perhaps the most well-known of the Indian festivals: it is

celebrated throughout India, as well as in Indian communities

throughout the diaspora. It usually takes place eighteen days after

Dusshera. It is colloquially known as the " festival of lights " , for

the common practice is to light small oil lamps (called diyas) and

place them around the home, in courtyards, verandahs, and gardens, as

well as on roof-tops and outer walls. In urban areas, especially,

candles are substituted for diyas; and among the nouveau riche, neon

lights are made to substitute for candles. The celebration of the

festival is invariably accompanied by the exchange of sweets and the

explosion of fireworks. As with other Indian festivals, Diwali

signifies many different things to people across the country. In

north India, Diwali celebrates Rama's homecoming, that is his return

to Ayodhya after the defeat of Ravana and his coronation as king; in

Gujarat, the festival honors Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth; and in

Bengal, it is associated with the goddess Kali. Everywhere, it

signifies the renewal of life, and accordingly it is common to wear

new clothes on the day of the festival; similarly, it heralds the

approach of winter and the beginning of the sowing season.