Diwali, or Deepavali, the most colourful Hindu festival, is celebrated on the Amavasya or New Moon, just before the start of Kartika month, which falls during October/November. This year it is on the 13th November.
Diwali as we call it today comes from the Sanskrit word Deepavali meaning garland of lights.
There are many legends and important events associated with this highly auspicious day. Hence it is said that any Pooja, mantra japa or stotra recital on this day gives 100 times more benifits.
Actually it is a 5 day festival with each day having its own mythological legend, customes and rituals.
The Legends of Diwali
*The Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi took refuge in the ocean of milk when the gods were sent into exile. Lakshmi was reborn during the churning of the ocean known as *Ksheera Sagara Manthan by the Devas and Rakshasas.
*Lord Vishnu rescued Lakshmi from the prison of King Bali on this day.
*On the day before Diwali, Lord Krishna killed the demon king Narakaasur and rescued 16,000 women from his captivity. The celebration of this freedom is the Diwali – a victory festival.
*According to the great epic ‘Mahabharata’, the Pandavas returned from their 12 years of vanavas on this day and the people celebrated the day by lighting lamps.
*According to the epic ‘Ramayana’, Lord Rama killed Ravana on the Dussara day and returned to Ayodhya on this day and the people of Ayodhya celebrated the occasion by decorating the entire city with lamps.
*The great king Vikramaditya was coronated on the this day which started the Vikrama era and the people of Ujjain celebrated it by lighting lamps.
*This is also the nirvana or passing away day of the great Mahavira Jain. The lighting of the lamps is a symbolic substitute for the light knowledge that was extinguished with Mahavira’s passing.
*Another myth traces the origins of the festival to the annual
“inspection tours” of goddess Lakshmi. On this day Lakshmi goes around visiting her devotees and sets up residence in the house she finds best spruced up and most hospitable. Diwali is an occasion for cleaning, painting the walls, decorating the floor with attractive rangoli designs.
*Diwali is also a harvest festival and marks the start of the Lunar year. A lot of people, especially the Gujaratis and the Marwaris, celebrate it as the starting of the Hindu new year and close their old account books and start writing the new year account books.
One of the rituals traditionally associated with Diwali is gambling.
Buying new clothes, exchange gifts and sweets with friends and neighbors, lighting of lamps and candles and lots of fireworks and doing Lakshmi Pooja are the most common rituals associated with Diwali.
More details
First Day – Dhanteras
Second Day – Naraka Chaturdasi/Kali Chaudas
Third Day – Diwali
Fourth Day – Vishvakarma Pooja/Govardhan Pooja
Fifth Day – Bhaiya Dooj
The legend of Diwali gambling
Ganesha & Lakshmi mantras for reciting
Ganesha & Lakshmi Stotras for reciting
