Deepavali/Diwali

Tamaso Mā Jyotirgamaya
which in Sanskrit means “may the light
of knowledge remove the darkness of
ignorance”

SURBHI SSURBHI GUATAM, ATU

(GALWAY)
 Deepavali
• Also known as Diwali

• Literal meaning, a row of lamps

• One of the biggest festivals of Hindus

• Celebrated all over India during late

October to early November
 Diwali Festival Celebrations
• Diwali is an important festival for Hindus around the
world. It is also celebrated by Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists.
• Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom,
Ayodhya, after an exile period of 14 years. The people of
Ayodhya lit the city brightly and welcomed Rama,
Lakshman, and Sita by firing crackers.
• Diwali festival is also believed to be the symbol of
Goddess Lakshmi coming home. Thus, people celebrate by
lighting many clay lamps called ‘Diyas’ around their
homes. This signifies the victory of good over evil and that
is why Diwali is also known as the festival of lights.
People worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha on
this day as they are believed to bring good luck, prosperity,
and wealth.
 The festival of Lights
• Celebrated for 5 days

• Customs vary but lighting

lamps is common

• Fireworks, Rangoli, Lamps

• Lights, Sparkles, Glitters!

 Significance and Importance of 5 Days
of Diwali
• DAY 1 - Dhanteras :
Diwali begins with the first day known as ‘Dhanteras’ or the
worship of wealth. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped on this
day and there is a custom to purchase something precious
(gold, silver, and new utensils). People clean and decorate their
homes.
• DAY 2 - Choti Diwali :
People wake up early and apply aromatic oils on them before
taking a bath. This is said to remove all sins and impurities.
They wear new clothes, offer Puja and enjoy lighting diyas
and bursting a few crackers.
• DAY 3 - Lakshmi Puja :
The third day is the main Diwali festival. Lakshmi Puja is performed
on this day. Goddess Lakshmi is believed to enter homes and
bless people with good fortune. Tiny oil diyas, candles, and
electric lights are placed around the house. Families exchange
gifts and gather together to burst crackers.
• DAY 4 - Govardhan Puja:
The fourth day is Govardhan Puja. It is the day when Lord Krishna
defeated Indra by lifting the huge Govardhan Mountain. People
make a small hillock, usually of cow dung, symbolising
Govardhan and worship it.
• DAY 5 - Bhai Dooj :
The fifth and last day is Bhai Dooj. On this day sisters invite their
brothers for a lavish meal and perform a ‘tilak’ ceremony. Sisters
pray for their brother’s long and happy life while the brothers give
gifts to their sisters.
 Dhana-trayodashi
• Dhanteras

• Houses, business premises decorated

• Auspicious to buy gold, silver, new

utensils

• Lamps lit and kept burning all night

• Cattles adorned and worshipped in

villages
 Dhana-trayodashi - Stories
• Son of King Hima, as per horoscope,
was doomed to die on this night

• His wife did not allow him to sleep

• She kept all ornaments, gold, and silver

at the entrance of the room

• Yama, God of death, gets blinded by

the dazzle of brilliant lights and leaves

• Hence, the tradition of buying gold and

the name Yama Deepdan
 Narak-chaturdashi
• Choti Diwali, or little Diwali

• Falls on the 14th day of Kartika

month

• Tradition is to get up very early

and have an oil bath before the
sunrise

• Earthen lamps are lit

 Narak-chaturdashi - Stories
• Narakasur, the demon king of
Pragjyotishpur, was killed by Lord Krishna

• After defeating the demon, Krishna

returned early in the morning and had a
scented oil bath
 Lakshmi Puja
• Diwali

• Amavasya, or no moon night

• Day of Lakshmi, the Goddess of

wealth

• Millions of lamps lit

• Amavasya becomes brighter than

Poornima, or full moon night
 Lakshmi Puja - Stories
• Lot of stories associated with this day

• Lord Rama return to Ayodhya after

defeating Ravana

• Lord Krishna delivers knowledge of Gita

to Arjuna

• Lord Krishna also attains “nirvana” this

day

• Nachiketa attains knowledge from Yama

and returns back to earth
 Govardhan Puja
• Govardhan Puja, Annakoot

• In the northern part of India, the

hill of Govardhan is
worshipped

• Annakoot, meaning “mountain

of food”, is observed for all
deities

• Variety of sweets are made and

shared among all
 Govardhan Puja- Stories
• Vikramaditya the great, held his
coronation and started a Hindu
calendar, Vikram samvat

• Lord Krishna, uprooted Govardhan hill

and held it up to save residents of
Gokul from rains

• Bali came back from patal and

given a boon to return from
nether regions once a year
 Bhai Dooj
• Bhai Tika, Yama Dwiteeya

• Sisters put tilak on forehead of brothers

and wish for their success

• Originates from the legend that Yama

went to see his sister Yami on this day

• Yama announced that anyone who

receives tilak from his sister this day,
will never suffer
 Significance of Diwali

• Celebration of rise of knowledge

• Celebration of victory of dharma

• Occasion for self-enlightment

• Prosperity, peace, and progress for

all
 Lead us from ignorance to truth, Lead
us from darkness to light, Lead us
from death to deathlessness
 Link of ICSC, Galway

Indian Cultural & Sports Communit

y Galway
 Rangoli Designs

Popular Diwali decorations include clay oil lamps called

diyas, candles, fairy lights, rangoli, toran, marigold
garlands, and lanterns.