The vibrant festival of lights is just around the corner and we can’t contain the excitement within. You can spot the colourful shops of rangoli, sweet shops, stalls with fireworks around and whatnot. Diwali, also known as Deepawali or Divali is one of the most important Hindu festivals celebrated every year according to the Hindu lunar calendar. However, there are many amazing facts about Diwali that you didn’t know about. So, without any further ado, let’s have a look at some of the most interesting facts about Diwali.
- Diwali is a major festival of Hindus but Jains and Sikhs around the world celebrate Diwali as well.
- The festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of Kartik month.
- Diwali is derived from two Sanskrit words Deepa meaning lights and avali meaning rows. So, Diwali means rows of lights in Sanskrit. People light up diyas and arrange them in a row on their balconies and terraces.
- For centuries, Hindus have celebrated Diwali. But in the modern days, it is also observed as a national holiday and the festival is now even celebrated by non-Hindus.
- Over a billion people celebrated Diwali in 2023. Apart from India, Diwali is also celebrated in these countries- Fiji, Guyana, Malaysia, Nepal, Mauritius, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Singapore and Trinidad & Tobago.
- In the United Kingdom, Leicester celebrates Diwali on a huge scale. Students studying abroad decorate their dorm rooms with diyas.
- Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu deity of wealth and prosperity is worshipped on this day.
- The festival also celebrates the return of Lord Rama and his wife Sita from fourteen years of exile after defeating the demon Ravana.
- People make delicious food and visit each others’ homes during the festival of Diwali.
- There is a tradition of cleaning the home before Diwali. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi only comes in homes that are clean.
- Jaipur has a unique celebration of Diwali. There is a tradition called Mogra Mata ki Seva, where people offer jasmine flower garland to the goddess for happiness and prosperity.
- In Gujarat, Diwali marks the beginning of a new business year. Business owners do Chopda Pujan and seek the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi for prosperity in their businesses.
- The celebration of Diwali starts after Vasu Baras in Maharashtra. As per this tradition, married women worship cows and calves and seek blessings for their families.
- In Nepal, the festival of Diwali is known as Tihar and is celebrated to honour and worship dogs, cows and crows.
- In south Indian states, especially Karnataka, Diwali is celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi. This celebrates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura.
- In Orissa, people light up diyas and worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and Diwali is celebrated as Kartik Purnima in this state.
- In Goa, Narakasur Night is celebrated on the day of Diwali, and huge effigies of the demon Narakasur are burned, which symbolises the victory of good over evil.
- The birthplace of Lord Rama, Ayodhya celebrates Diwali on a large scale. A million diyas are lit up creating a mesmerising view.
- In Tamil Nadu, people wake up before sunrise and take an oil bath which is believed to purify their souls and is also considered auspicious. Diwali is known as ‘Deepavali’ in this state.
- In Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, the ghats of the river Ganga are lit up with many diyas and Ganga Aarti is then performed.
Also Read: Light up your home with these unique diya decoration ideas.
That was all about the interesting facts about Diwali. For booking the best student accommodation abroad to start your study abroad experience you can contact Fly Homes at 1800572118.
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