Today, Indian businesses still consider Diwali the first day of the financial new year. In India’s early agrarian society, Diwali coincided with the last harvest before winter-a time to pray for Lakshmi for good fortune. in what some describe as a reaction to Hinduism, celebrate it as the day the Hindu Emperor Ashoka, who ruled in the third century B.C., converted to Buddhism.īeyond these stories, Diwali is also a celebration of the Hindu goddess of wealth and good fortune, Lakshmi. and also shares many of the beliefs of Hinduism, observe Diwali as the day that Lord Mahavira, the last of the great Jain teachers, reached nirvana.Īnd Buddhists, whose religion emerged in the late 6th century B.C. Jains, whose ancient religion dates back to the middle of the first century B.C. For Sikhs, whose religion arose in the late 15th century as a movement within Hinduism that is particularly devoted to Vishnu, Diwali commemorates the release of the 17th-century guru Hargobind after 12 years of imprisonment by Mughal emperor Jahangir.

Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, three minority religions in India, have their own Diwali stories. And in western India, the festival celebrates Vishnu’s banishment of King Bali-whose immense power had become a threat to the gods-to the underworld. In South India, meanwhile, Diwali honors the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon king Narakasura, who had imprisoned 16,000 women in his palace and meted out harsh punishments to any of his subjects who dared stand up against him. In northern India, Diwali commemorates Prince Rama’s triumphant return to the city of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile due to the plotting of his evil stepmother-and after a heroic rescue of his wife Sita, an incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi, who had been kidnapped by the rival king Ravana. These, however, are all epic tales of victory won by men who were considered incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu, regarded as the sustainer of the universe, and whose role it is to restore the balance of good and evil in times of trouble. In Hinduism alone-which is considered the world’s oldest living religion, dating back to the second millennium B.C.-there are several versions of the Diwali story that vary among geographic communities. It's a five-day celebration that includes good food, fireworks, colored sand, and special candles and lamps. In India, one of the most significant festivals is Diwali, or the festival of lights. ( Parents and educators: Learn about Diwali with your kids. But while each religion has its own historical narrative behind the holiday, they all ultimately represent the victory of good over evil. The meaning of Diwali-and its many legendsĭiwali is so widely celebrated-it’s an important religious festival for Hindus, but is also observed among Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists-that it has no single origin story. In 2022, the five days of Diwali begin on October 22, with the most important festival date taking place on October 24. Diwali begins just before the arrival of a new moon between the Hindu months of Asvina and Kartika-which typically falls in October or November of the Gregorian calendar. The dates of this festival are based on the Hindu lunar calendar, which marks each month by the time it takes the moon to orbit Earth. ( See dazzling pictures of Diwali, the festival of lights.) Derived from the Sanskrit dipavali, which means “row of lights,” Diwali is known for the brightly burning clay lamps that celebrants line up outside their homes. For some, Diwali is also the beginning of a new year.īut Diwali is perhaps best known as a festival of lights. Widely observed among more than a billion people from a variety of faiths across India and its diaspora, the five days of Diwali are marked by prayer, feasts, fireworks, family gatherings, and charitable giving. Diwali is India’s most important festival of the year-a time to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.

Diwali countdown