Diwali is one of the biggest festivals of Hindus. It is celebrated all over the India with great zeal and contentment. Not only Hindu enjoy it even other religion also celebrate it. Diwali is also known as “The Festival of Lights” as we light lots of lamps and diyas on this day.
During Diwali pooja we worship to the different Deities of the Hindu Religion in the form of prayer. A traditional Diwali Pujan is performed in the evening in all the homes. Especially on this day we pray to Lord Ganesh for ‘Defeating all evils’ and Goddess Laxmi to attain health, prosperity, knowledge, financial security and peace in our life. Laxmi-Puja falls on the dark night of Amavasya (moonless night). Laxmi Puja is the main event of Diwali especially in North and West India. It is believed that Goddess Laxmi likes cleanliness, and she will visit the cleanest house first. So everyone is concious about the cleanliness of their house.
The idea behind celebrating Diwali is that on this day Lord Ram has Come Back to his mother land Ayodhya defeating Ravana, after 14 years of exile. And in Jainism this day has a different significance as Lord Mahavira, the last Tirthankar of Jain attained Nirvana or Moksha on this day at Pavapuri on Oct. 15, 527 BC, on Chaturdashi of Kartik. Sikh’s celebrate Diwali as the return of Guru Har Gobind to Amritsar after freeing 52 Hindu kings imprisoned by Jahangir in Fort Gwalior.
Diwali is considered as the beginning of the Hindu New Year according to the Lunar Calendar. Diwali is a 5 days festival it include Dhanteras, Choti Diwali, Badi Diwali, Padwa and Bhaiya duj.
As Diwali is approching, everyone has already started preparing for it. We can see the excitement on the faces of the people. Diwali 2010 is on 5th November. Deepavali Mela is always conducted few days before Diwali. People have already started shopping for Diwali; we can see the crowd in the market for Diwali 2010. On the day of Diwali people exchange gifts. Diwali is incomplete without exchanging gifts with relative and friends. We clean and decorate our house specialy for this day. There is a lot of craze for using firecrackers, making fireworks & bonfires, having special festive meals. This festival is celebtared all over the World as a Mark of Triumph of Good over Evil.