Diwali Festival India

Diwali Festival - When and Where The Diwali Festival usually takes place in Mid-October/November and is celebrated by hindus worldwide. It is most famous in India and in 2009 the festival will take place on October 17th. Diwali is also known as the festival of lights and is also called Deepavali and is celebrated on the 'Kartika Amavasya' or New Moon. The festival lasts for five days the most popular/famous day of which includes a light nightime display of candles, lamps and fireworks. It should be noted that this Hindu festival is celebrated differently in different areas of India. In some places it is only a 1 day festival and in other Indian areas it is celebrated over 6 days.

16th October 2009 Festivalpig Offers condolences to the families of the 32 people who died in the fireworks warehouse in Pallipat, near Chennai, the capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

Festival of Lights 5 days

Diwali Day 1:Vasu Baras Baras means 12th day and vasu means cow. The cow and calf are worshipped on Vasu Baras.

Deepavali Day 2:Dhanvantari an incarnation of the God of health and welfare: Vishnu, is worshipped. During this day people buy new clothes, new vessels, gold and silver etc. because this is the day that Dhanvantari came from the sea during Samudra Manthan.

Diwali Day 3: Naraka Chaturdashi This signifies the fourteenth day on which demon Narakasura was killed by god Krishna (the god Vishnu's incarnation. Naraka Chaturdashi signifies the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. In much of Southern India this is the main day of the festival. The are many traditions such as taking a bath before sunrise, which it is believed that when the stars are still visible in the sky a bath is equivalent to bathing in the holy Ganges. New clothes are worn and candles and lamps are used as well as large fireworks displays. Firecrackers are believed to repel the demons.



Day 4Lakshmi Puja This is the most important day of Diwali celebrations in Northern India. Homes worship Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, Ganesh the God of auspicious beginnings and then light lamps all across the streets and homes so as to welcome prosperity and well-being.

Festival of Lights Day 5:Bali Pratipada and Govardhan Puja/Govardhan Puja/AnnakutThis is celebrated as the day Krishna - an incaranation of god Vishnu defeated the god Indra and by the lifting of Govardhana Hill saved his kinsmen and cattle from rain and floods.

Diwali Day 6: Bhaiduj/Bhayyaduj/Bhaubeej/Bhayitika This is a day for families across India and other Hindu areas to meet and rejoice in life.

Accommodation in India

Diwali History

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