About Diwali
The biggest festival in India, Diwali, also known as Deepawali is the festival of lights and is celebrated on a grand scale in the country. The Hindu festival, according to the Gregorian calendar, is celebrated between the months of October and November every year.
The festival denotes the victory of light over darkness and involves a number of rituals, preparations and fun. It falls on the darkest new moon of the year and preparations for the festival in Indian households start one month prior to the day of the main festival.
During Diwali, people get their houses and offices thoroughly cleaned, painted and renovated. Right before two days of the main Diwali festival, Dhanteras takes place.
According to Hindu traditions, it is believed that buying gold on the day of Dhanteras is extremely auspicious and hence, during this day many people invest in gold and even the jewelers sell their products at discounted rates.
People worship Goddess Lakshmi on the evening of Diwali, both at their houses and offices so that the goddess blesses their families and their professions with wealth and prosperity.
People are decked in new clothes and look extremely vibrant and joyous with all the bright colors and traditional attires that they get decked in during the festival.
Both children and adults participate in lighting lamps and bursting crackers and the sky looks all shimmery and glittery with the magnificent fireworks. Ladies also make rangolis outside the houses, which are artistic manifestations on the floor with a variety of colors.
Two days after Diwali, the festival of Bhai Dooj takes place, which is an auspicious day for all brothers in the country as their sisters put the holy tika on their brothers, with several other rituals and exchange of gifts.
Diwali to date remains to be the most popularly celebrated occasion in the country and is the only festival in India where the majority of the country participates.