Diwali or Deepawali is a Hindu festival also known as the festival of lights. Deepawali is a Sanskrit derived term that gives the meaning ‘rows of lights’.
It is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India. Not just in India, Diwali is also celebrated with much splendor in Fiji, Guyana, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Singapore among other countries.
Diwali is celebrated on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Karthika which falls between October and November in the Gregorian calendar. In 2022 Diwali is celebrated on the 24th of October.
Different parts of the world have different reasons for the celebration of Diwali but the common factor that unites them all is the triumph of good over evil. Lakshmi the Goddess of Wealth is honored during this festival and people seek her blessings for wealth and prosperity.
People clean their houses in preparation for Diwali, make sweets and hold feasts. Visiting relatives and friends as well as exchanging presents are done during Diwali. Rangoli patterns are drawn in front of houses to welcome in visitors. It also symbolizes welcoming of the Goddess of Wealth into their houses. Decorating houses with fancy lights, candles and lamps is most prominently seen during Diwali.
Diwali is a celebration of hope, of overcoming the darkness and ignorance through light and knowledge. I hope the light of Diwali may be remembered on darker days of the year.
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