pn591. What is Diwali and who are its celebrants?

Diyas

Diwali is a five-day celebration that falls in either October or November each year, depending on the cycle of the moon. It's observed on the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. In 2020, Diwali is this Saturday November 14. The public holiday in Fiji is on Monday.

For Hindus, Diwali or Deepavali, the festival of lights, symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". The festival is widely associated with Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity and wealth, and with other deities in different parts of India.

In preparing for Diwali, Hindus clean, renovate and decorate their homes and workplaces with diyas (clay oil lamps) and rangoli (floor designs made with coloured rice powder.)

During the festival people wear their finest clothes, perform Lakshmi (worship) puja, light fireworks (see pn588,pn590), and have family feasts where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared. 

Hindus are not the only ones to celebrate Diwali, in India and other parts of the world.  

For  Jain, it marks the anniversary of Nirvana (final release) or liberation of Mahavira's soul. Jainism  teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation. Its essence is concern for the welfare of every being in the universe and for the health of the universe itself, very similar to Buddhism.

For Sikhs, Diwali celebrates the release from prison of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind, and other princes with him, in 1619. Sikhs celebrated their return by lighting up the Golden Temple and this tradition continues today.

Perhaps surprisingly, Diwali is also celebrated by Indian Muslims and has been since the 14th century.

In New Zealand the Auckland Diwali Festival takes place from 27 October to 14 November.There were more than 100 events and experiences at numerous local venues across the region. Click here to see the programme.

--  Compiled from Google and various websites. ACW