Diwali

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is a festival celebrated in almost all parts of India. It is an Indian festival that marks the victory of good over bad (evil). It is a festival celebrated by Indians with great enthusiasm. The festival commemorates joy, harmony, and victory. It also marks the return of Lord Ram from exile, which is described in the epic Ramayana. 

Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit word Deepavali which means row of lights. So, this festival is celebrated by lighting lamps (usually earthen lamps) all around the house/office. It also symbolises light as the victory over darkness. Generally, according to the stars, the date for Diwali falls in October or November and is expected to be 20 days after Dussehra. It is celebrated in the Hindu month called Kartika. 

Diwali is a festival of lights. It is one of the biggest and grandest festivals celebrated mainly in India. Diwali is a festival commemorated to mark joy, victory, and harmony. Diwali, also known as Deepavali, falls in October or November. It is celebrated after 20 days of the Dussehra festival. ‘Deepavali’ is a Hindi word that means an array of lamps (‘Deep’ means earthen lamps, and ‘Avail’ means a queue or an array).

Diwali is celebrated in honour of Lord Ramchandra because on this day, Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. During this exile, he fought with demons and the demon king Ravana, the powerful ruler of Lanka. On Rama’s return, the people of Ayodhya lit diyas to welcome him and celebrate his victory. Since then, Diwali has been celebrated to declare the victory of good over evil.

In India, it is a festival of fun and happiness. People decorate their homes and offices with various lights, cook delicious food, exchange gifts, and share happiness. Indian businesses consider Diwali the first day of the financial new year. On this festival day,  courtyards are decorated with colourful rangoli, and lamps are lit on the rangoli. People dress in new clothes, eat the delicacies, light lamps, and as the Sun sets, they burst crackers. 

Diwali celebrations go on for five days. The five days are Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Pooja, Govardhan Pooja, and Bhai Dooj. The first day of the Diwali celebration marks ‘Dhanteras’ or the worship of wealth. On this day, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped, and there is a custom to purchase something precious.The second day of the Diwali celebration marks Naraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali. On this day, people wake up early in the morning and apply aromatic oils to them before taking a bath to remove all sins and impurities from their life. 

The third day is the main festival. On this day, Lakshmi (God of wealth) is worshipped with great devotion. People wear new clothes, offer Puja, and enjoy by lighting diyas and bursting a few crackers.The fourth day of the Diwali celebration marks Govardhan Puja or Padva. It is said that Lord Krishna defeated Indra on this day by lifting the massive Govardhan Mountain. Using cow dung, people make a small hillock that symbolises Govardhan and worship it.

The fifth day of the Diwali celebration marks Bhai Dooj. On this day, sisters visit their brother's house and perform a ‘tilak’ ceremony. Sisters pray for their brother’s long and happy life while the brothers give precious gifts to their sisters.

Diwali preparations have an important significance for Indians. The preparations start one month before the actual date of the festival, and people indulge in buying new clothes, gifts, books, lights, crackers, sweets, dry fruits, etc.Some also believe in discarding old things and buying new ones. This also involves discarding unused old items at home and buying new ones on Diwali, so the festival brings in everything fresh and new. 

It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi visits the place of worship (maybe house or office) on Diwali and blesses them. Hence, a lot of discipline and devotion goes into the celebration of this festival. 

However, considering the environmental pollution, it is advised not to burn too many crackers, and also, they are not safe as they are made of harmful materials. There are many instances where kids hurt themselves while bursting crackers. It is advised to burst crackers only under adult supervision. Also, it is best to reduce the number of crackers you burst as it causes a lot of air and noise pollution. Noise also hurts animals, and they get scared. 

So let us not forget the environment and the animals to which these crackers cause harm. We can still enjoy the festivities with just the lights and have fun. However, to keep up the tradition, we can just burst a few crackers and celebrate in an eco-friendly way. 

Diwali is a festival enjoyed by everyone. Amid all the festivities, we tend to forget that bursting crackers lead to noise and air pollution. It can be very dangerous for kids and can even cause fatal burns. Bursting crackers reduces air-quality index and visibility in many places, responsible for accidents that are often reported after the festival. Hence, it is important to have a safe and eco-friendly Diwali.

let us all join hands and take an oath to celebrate this traditional festival with responsibility so that everyone, including mother earth, is safe and free from pollution.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***