Happy Diwali Diwali Deepavali Means row of lights

Happy Diwali

Diwali (Deepavali) • Means “row of lights” or festival of lights • Starts on darkest night of the new moon at the end of the Hindu lunar month of Ashvin • In the autumn • • • 2018: Wednesday, November 7 2019: Sunday, October 27 2020: Saturday, November 14 2021: Thursday, November 4 2022: Monday, October 24 • Five day festival • Community Oriented: giving/sharing • Biggest national holiday in India, regardless of religion

Significance • For Hindus • Northern India: celebrate the story of King Rama's return to Ayodhya after he defeated Ravana • Southern India: celebrates when Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura. • Western India: marks the day that Lord Vishnu sent the demon King Bali to rule the under world. • Common thread: victory of good over evil. • Worship of Lakshmi

Significance • For Non-Hindus • Jainism: the nirvana of Lord Mahavira on October 15, 527 B. C. • Sikhism: it marks the day that Guru Hargobind Ji was freed from imprisonment. • Buddhists: the day Emperor Ashoka of India converted to Buddhism

The Five days • Day One: people consider it lucky to clean and decorate their One home and shop for gold or kitchen utensils. • Day Two: people decorate their homes with clay lamps ( diya) Two and create design patterns called rangoli on the floor using colored powders or sand. • Day Three: the main day of the festival when families gather Three together for Lakshmi puja, a prayer to Goddess Lakshmi followed feasts and firework festivities. • Day Four: the first day of the new year when friends and Four relatives visit with gifts and best wishes for the season. • Day Five: celebrates siblings, brothers visit their married sisters Five who welcome them with love and a lavish meal.

Lakshmi Puja