What is Diwali, the Festival of Lights? How is it celebrated in India and the diaspora?

Diwali is the most important festival of the year in India – and for Hindus in particular.

It is celebrated across all faiths by more than a billion people in the world’s most populous country and in the diaspora. People participate for five days festive gatheringsfireworks shows, celebrations and prayer.

Diwali is derived from the word ‘Deepavali’, which means ‘a row of lights’. Celebrants light rows of traditional clay oil lamps outside their homes to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.

When is Diwali?

The dates of the festival are based on the Hindu lunar calendar and typically fall in late October or early November.

This year the holiday will be celebrated on October 31 and November 1. In the US, Diwali falls on Halloween this year, which has triggered quite a few #Diwaloween memes on social media, with some revelers diyaing in their scary costumes or handing out laddoos to trick-or-treaters.

What are some Hindu stories about Diwali?

Although Diwali is an important religious festival for Hindus, it is also celebrated by Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. The origin story of Diwali varies depending on the region. All these stories have one underlying theme: the victory of good over evil.

In southern India, Diwali celebrates the victory of Lord Krishna’s destruction of the demon Naraka, who is said to have imprisoned women and tormented his subjects. In northern India, Diwali honors the triumphant return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, after a fourteen-year exile in the forest.

How is Diwali celebrated?

The festival brings with it a number of unique traditions, which also vary by region. What all celebrations have in common are lights, fireworks, parties, new clothes and prayers.

—In southern India, many have a warm oil bath in the early morning to symbolize bathing in the sacred river Ganges as a form of physical and spiritual purification.

—In the north, worshiping the goddess Lakshmi, who symbolizes wealth and prosperity, is the norm.

Gambling is a popular tradition due to the belief that the one who gambled on Diwali night would prosper throughout the year. Many people buy gold on the first day of Diwali, known as Dhanteras – an act they believe will bring them good luck.

Setting off fireworks is a cherished tradition, as is exchanging candy and gifts among friends and family. Diwali celebrations typically include rangoli, which are geometric floral patterns drawn on the floor with colorful powders. This year, several northern Indian states, including the capital New Delhi, are introducing partial or complete fireworks bans to combat rising pollution levels during Diwali.

What are the Diwali stories from other religions?

Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs have their own Diwali stories:

—Jains regard Diwali as the day when Lord Mahavira, the last of the great teachers, attained nirvana, which means liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

– Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas – a day that overlaps with Diwali – to commemorate the release of Guru Hargobind, a revered figure in the faith who was imprisoned for 12 years by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir.

—Buddhists regard the day as a day when the Hindu emperor Ashoka, who ruled in the third century B.C., converted to Buddhism.

New in 2024: Diwali Barbie

This year, Mattel released the ‘Barbie Signature Diwali Doll’ from designer Anita Dongre, who wrote on Instagram that her Barbie “represents the fashion-conscious modern woman who wears India with pride on her sleeve.”

Unlike her first version from 1996, which was dressed in a bright pink sari or the 2012 avatar that came packaged with a ‘monkey friend’, Diwali Barbie is fashionably dressed in a lehnga, an ankle-length embroidered skirt with motifs from Dongre’s home state . of Rajasthan, a cropped blouse and cardigan.

This doll, which cost $40, sold out on Mattel’s website on its first day.

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Associated Press religion reporting receives support through the APs cooperation with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.