Diwali is the most important festival of the year in India – and for Hindus in particular.

It is celebrated across all faiths by more than a billion people in the world’s most populous country and in the diaspora. For five days, people participate festive gatheringsfireworks, celebrations and prayers.

Diwali is derived from the word “Deepavali”, which means “a row of lights”. Celebrants light rows of traditional clay oil lamps in front of their homes to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.

When is Diwali?

The festival dates are based on the Hindu lunar calendar, usually falling in late October or early November.

This year, the holiday is celebrated on October 31 and November 1. In the United States, Diwali falls on Halloween this year, which has sparked many #Diwaloween memes on social media where some celebrants can be seen lighting diyas in their homes. scary costumes or handing out laddoos for treats.

What are some Hindu Diwali stories?

While Diwali is a major religious festival for Hindus, it is also observed by Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. The origin story of Diwali varies by region. All of these stories have an underlying theme: the victory of good over evil.

In southern India, Diwali celebrates the victory of Lord Krishna’s destruction of the demon Naraka, who was said to have imprisoned women and tormented his subjects. In northern India, Diwali honors the triumphant return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana, after 14 years of exile in the forest.

How is Diwali celebrated?

The festival brings a number of unique traditions, which also vary by region. What all celebrations have in common are lights, fireworks, feasts, new clothes and prayer.

— In southern India, many people take a hot oil bath early in the morning to symbolize bathing in the sacred river Ganges, a form of physical and spiritual purification.

— In the north, worshiping the goddess Lakshmi, who symbolizes wealth and prosperity, is the norm.

Gambling is a popular tradition due to the belief that anyone who bet on Diwali night would prosper throughout the year. Many people buy gold on the first day of Diwali, known as Dhanteras – an act they believe will bring them good luck.

Lighting firecrackers is a much-loved tradition, as is exchanging sweets and gifts among friends and family. Diwali celebrations usually feature rangoli, which are geometric floral designs drawn on the ground using colored powders. This year, several northern Indian states, including the capital New Delhi, have instituted partial or complete bans on fireworks to combat rising pollution levels during Diwali.

What are the Diwali stories of other faiths?

Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs have their own Diwali stories:

— Jains observe Diwali as the day when Lord Mahavira, the last of the great teachers, attained nirvana, which is liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

— Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas — a day that overlaps with Diwali — to commemorate the release of Guru Hargobind, a revered figure of the faith, who had been imprisoned for 12 years by the Mughal emperor Jahangir.

— Buddhists celebrate the day when the Hindu emperor Ashoka, who ruled in the third century BC, converted to Buddhism.

New for 2024: Diwali Barbie

This year, Mattel launched its “Barbie Signature Diwali Doll” from designer Anita Dongre who wrote on Instagram that her Barbie represents “the modern, fashion-forward woman who proudly wears India on her sleeve.”

Unlike her first iteration in 1996 which was dressed in a hot pink sari or the 2012 avatar which was packed with a “monkey friend”, Diwali Barbie is fashionably dressed in a lehnga, a skirt embroidered up at the ankles with motifs from Dongre’s home state. from Rajasthan, a short blouse and a vest.

This doll, priced at $40, sold out on the first day on Mattel’s website.

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