India Diwali Festival

The very auspicious festival of India Diwali 2011 is around the corner, only 2 days to go! its the celebrating event of the year for the Indians Living in India and abroad!

What is Diwali ?

The word "Diwali / Deepavali", came into existance from the Sanskrit word Dīpāvalī (दीपावली) and Englis meaning is "Row of Lights". This festival is also known as "Festival of Lights".

About Diwali

The Diwali Festival is celebrated to the victory of Good over Evil and Light over Darkness. Diwali has a major religious significance for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains alike - not only in India, but also for Indians living abroad. In the western (gregorian) calendar, Diwali falls on a day in October or November every year - just after the monsoon season in India. The exact date of Diwali festival varies and is based on Hindu Luni-Solar calendar (according to the positions of the Sun and the Moon). The day of Diwali falls on Ashvina Amavasya (the lunar day of new moon) on 15 Ashvin (Hindu month). This date also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year, and many businesses in India starting a new accounting year on the Diwali holiday. People on this day buy new commodities or household things inexchange of old things.

On this auspicious day people worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Rama. Devotees visit Temples for worshipping Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and wisdom with Laxmi Poojas and also pray to Ganesh, the 'Lord of Beginnings' and 'Remover of Obstacles'. In the evening during Aarti, oil lamps with a cotton wick are placed on a Puja Thali and offered to the deities, praising the deity by singing wonderful Aarti songs. At night people light up little oil lamps called Diyas, colorful candles or Ghee Lamps and place them around their houses and lightening up the lamps in their houses, later they enjoy firework displays or blasting firecrackers. On Kartika day next day to Diwali in the Hindu calendar and is also known as Govardhan Puja or Annakoot. It is believed that Lord Krishna defeated the god of rain and heavens Indra on that day. Lord Krishna lifted Mount Govardhana to save people's life from the endless rain. According to another legend followed in South-India, Vishnu defeated the demon-king Bali on this day. 'Bhaiduj' ('Bhai Dooj') comes after Kartika Day and also known as 'Yama Dwitiya'. This is the day for brothers and sisters to strengthen their relationships.

On the eve of Diwali, families, friends and relatives gather and exchange sweet dishes with each other and send Diwali Greeting Cards. But nowadays sending E Cards is more in trend. Apart from India, Diwali Mela (Fairs) takes place in many countries of world. Sellers of handicraft and artworks like to rent a booth on a Diwali Mela to offer their items for sale to the general public. The different locations and venues for this event can range from small community halls to the size of a whole stadium like in the case of the Diwali Mela 2011 in Dallas, Texas, USA in the Cotton Bowl Stadium

(This season Date: Saturday, November 5th, 2011/Time: 4pm to midnight) with approx. 100,000 attendees.

Where is Diwali being celebrated ?

The largest groups of non-resident Indians live in the USA, Canada, Nepal, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi-Arabia, South-Africa and in the United Kingdom (UK). Depending on the origin of the majority of Indians, the festival in those countries is either Diwali (most immigrants from North-India, i.e. USA/Canada/UK) or Deepavali (most immigrants from South-India such as Tamils, i.e. Malaysia/Singapore).