Diwali (Deepavali)

About

Diwali, or Deepavali ("a row of lamps"), is the best-known Hindu festival and is also celebrated by Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists. Its main day is the new moon, Amavasya, at the end of the dark half. In the Purnimanta calendar of North India it is Kartika Amavasya. In the Amanta calendar used in Gujarat, Maharashtra and the South, it is the Amavasya that ends Ashwin. It is the same night; only the month name differs.

The festival lasts five days. The site shows the dates and the Lakshmi Puja muhurat for your city.

Significance and stories

Different communities remember different stories. All of them point to the victory of light over darkness.

• Rama's return: In much of North India, Diwali marks Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshmana after fourteen years of exile, when the city was lit with lamps.
• Krishna and Narakasura: In South India, and on the day before the main puja in some other regions, Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura is celebrated.
• Lakshmi: Goddess Lakshmi, who emerged from the churning of the ocean, is welcomed into clean, lit homes on the new moon night.
• Jains: Jains remember the nirvana, or liberation, of Lord Mahavira on this night.
• Sikhs: Sikhs observe Bandi Chhor Divas, remembering the release of Guru Hargobind Sahib, together with a number of imprisoned princes, from Gwalior Fort.

How to observe (puja vidhi)

1. Clean and decorate the home in the days before. Draw rangoli at the entrance and hang flowers or torans.
2. Bathe and wear new or festive clothes on the main day.
3. Choose the muhurat. Lakshmi Puja is performed on Amavasya in the evening, during Pradosh Kaal (after sunset) and ideally in a sthira lagna (a fixed rising sign, such as Taurus or Leo). The site displays the window for your city.
4. Set up a clean altar with images of Lakshmi, Ganesha and, if you wish, Kubera and Saraswati. Place a kalash and some coins.
5. Light diyas, offer flowers, kumkum, rice, sweets and fruit. Begin with Ganesha.
6. Recite a Lakshmi stotra, the Shri Sukta, or a simple prayer. Ask a priest or elder to guide pronunciation.
7. Perform aarti and share prasad.
8. Light lamps around the home, then enjoy a family meal and sweets.
9. Merchants perform Chopda Pujan, worshipping new account books, and in India the stock exchanges hold a brief Muhurat trading session on Diwali evening.

The five days

1. Dhanteras (Trayodashi): Worship of Dhanvantari, Lakshmi and Kubera, buying something metallic. See the page on dhanteras.
2. Naraka Chaturdashi (Chaturdashi): The early oil bath and lamps. See naraka-chaturdashi.
3. Lakshmi Puja (Amavasya): The main day.
4. Govardhan Puja / Bestu Varas (the day after Amavasya): Annakut and Govardhan worship in the North, and the new year (Bestu Varas) in Gujarat. See govardhan-puja and bestu-varas.
5. Bhai Dooj (Dwitiya): Sisters pray for their brothers. See bhai-dooj.

In some regions, the days merge or shift by one, so the number of days can appear different in a given year.

Puja items (samagri)

• Images of Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kubera, and a kalash with water
• Diyas, ghee or oil, cotton wicks, camphor, incense
• Flowers (lotus, marigold), kumkum, turmeric, rice, betel leaf and nut
• Coins, a new silver coin, and account books if you have a business
• Sweets, puffed rice (lawa), batasha, fruit, dry fruit
• Rangoli colours or flower petals

Fasting and food

There is no required fast, though some families fast until the evening puja. The food is festive and vegetarian: ladoo, barfi, gulab jamun, karanji, chakli, chivda, and a family meal. Many families exchange sweet boxes with neighbours and friends.

If you fast, people with health conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and the elderly should follow their doctor's advice and may keep a lighter fast.

Regional customs

In Gujarat, Diwali is the end of the year, and Bestu Varas is the new year. In Maharashtra, the first morning begins with Abhyang Snan and faral. In Bengal, Kali Puja is held on the night of Amavasya. In Tamil Nadu, Deepavali is the day of the oil bath and fireworks. In Odisha, ancestors are remembered with jute stalks (Kaunria Kathi). In Nepal, the festival is Tihar. Traditions vary; follow your family's custom or your priest's guidance.

Celebrating in the USA

Diwali is not a public holiday in most places, and the main day often falls on a weekday. Many families do the Lakshmi Puja in the evening after work, within the Pradosh window shown for your city, and hold a larger community celebration on the nearest weekend. Temples and associations host puja, dinners and cultural nights, and some US schools and workplaces now mark the day.

Apartments need extra care. Check your lease and local fire rules before using open flames, and keep diyas away from smoke detectors. Candle-lit lamps, battery lights and rangoli with coloured rice flour or flower petals are safe alternatives. Avoid fireworks entirely unless you attend a licensed public display.

Pets are easily frightened by noise and can be hurt by flames, sweets and flower garlands. Keep them in a quiet room, and keep the sweets out of reach.

If Diwali falls on a weekday, lighten the load: clean the home on the weekend, set the altar the night before, light lamps at dusk, and keep the puja short but sincere. A phone call to family in India, a shared meal, and a few diyas are a complete celebration.