Diwali - Light Up Your Soul With India’s Festival Of Lights

India is a country full of colorful and meaningful festivals. One of the most significant festivals here is India’s festival of lights, where people can worship gods and gather together. Let’s see what this festival is all about!

1. What to know about Diwali festival of lights

Diwali is India’s festival of lights of the year to celebrate the victory of light over darkness, goodness over evil, knowledge over ignorance. This is the most important traditional festival to pray for wealth and prosperity, which is widely celebrated by Hindu throughout the world.

Most people associate Diwali with a celebration of lights. This festival comes from the mythical beliefs about the god of the Hindus. In some places, the Diwali festival of lights is also celebrated to commemorate King Rama. Moreover, Diwali is the occasion for people in India to feel the warm festive atmosphere, get rid of hatred and pray to gods for good things.

Couple lighting oil lamps together to celebrate Diwali

Before the Diwali night, Hindus refurbish and decorate their homes and offices with candles and oil lamps. On this occasion, people wear their beautiful clothes, lighting lamps inside and outside their homes, along with rituals to worship the gods, including the goddess of Lakshmi - symbol of wealth and prosperity. After seeing celebratory fireworks, people always gather together for a family dinner and exchange meaningful gifts.

According to tradition, on the night of India’s festival of lights - the night considered as the darkest moon of the year, Indians pour oil into clay lamps to light and leave it all night long to welcome Goddess Lakshmi. But nowadays, clay lamps are replaced by strings of electric color lights that hang around the house. The Diwali festival cannot be without candles and fireworks to ward off evil spirits and welcome the return of King Rama after many years of exile.

When is Diwali 2024: Date and Timings

Diwali is celebrated in the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin and Kartika, which typically fall between mid-October and mid-November. According to the ancient Hindu calendar, Diwali is observed annually on Amavasya, the fifteenth day of the month of Kartik.

In the year 2024, the Festival of Lights will be celebrated on Friday, November 1st, 2024. As per Drikpanchang, the most auspicious timings are between 5:36 PM and 6:16 PM.

How is Diwali celebrated in India?

The weeks preceding up to Diwali are customarily spent beautifying the home, purchasing new clothes and jewelry, and giving presents such sweetmeats, dried fruits, and nuts. Dinner parties, outdoor food festivals, and artisan fairs are all popular this time of year, adding to the excitement leading up to the major Diwali celebration.

Expect beverages and plenty of finger food at these gatherings, which often feature kebab platters, fried savoury appetizers, tandoori grills, and spicy sweetmeats.

The five days of Diwali

Two days before the major celebration day, it is considered good luck to purchase a metallic cooking utensil, such as a steel ladle, or, if funds allow, a more lavish kitchen equipment.

'Chotti Diwali' (or 'small Diwali') is the day before Diwali. Traditionally, it was a day for finalizing plans for the big day, but it is now also a time for last-minute errands and gift exchanges. It's also the period when beautiful floral and geometrical designs, known as 'rangoli', are formed on floors with colored powders, rice flour, and flower petals.

The third day marks the big Diwali celebration. As the sun sets, prayers are performed, and dozens of clay lights are placed throughout the home. Fireworks displays follow, however in recent years they have been reduced owing to noise and air pollution concerns. This does not damper the party mood, however, especially because there is a nice supper to savor.

Activities on the day following Diwali will vary by location. In northern India, for example, the morning is dedicated to honoring the implements of labor. Chefs will honor their culinary tools, businessmen will revere their ledgers, and painters will express appreciation for their paints and palettes.

On the fifth and final day of Diwali celebrations, women pray for their brothers' well-being and get sweetmeats and presents in response.

2. Discover best place to celebrate Diwali in India

In India, people in different locations will have different ways of celebrating festivals. Let’s find out some places for people to enjoy the fullest the festival of lights:

Varanasi

Varanasi is regarded as one of the most holy places of Hindus around the world. An endless stream of firecrackers and fireworks are set off all night long on the festival’s main day in Varanasi which is one of India’s sacred tourist destinations. Throughout the five days of festivities, clay lanterns and diyas are strung along the stairs and the streets close to Ganges River, lighting up the entire city. If you stay back for some more time in Varanasi, you will have the chance to explore the bizarre places where traditional clothing and sweets are sold.

Katik Purnima festival takes place during Diwali

Jaipur - Udaipur

Jaipur looks wonderful when the streets, houses and markets are painted with colorful pink sandstone walls during Diwali. The markets in Jaipur come alive with many stores which display traditional artifacts and street food, making the city become the best place to celebrate Diwali in India. Moreover, tourists can witness some performances of folk music that are held along the street. Besides, you will definitely fall in love with the stunning Udaipur river, which sparkles with the reflection of fireworks and palace lights.

The palace by the Udaipur river

Kolkata

Kolkata is the City of Joy where they worship the Goddess Kali whose ability to destroy the ego and illusion in reality. When you visit here, you can witness the unique and detailed offerings to the Goddess including meat, flowers and sweets. The entire city comes alive when you can watch fireworks almost every corner of the street.

While the rest of India celebrates Diwali by worshiping Goddess Laxmi, the major day of Diwali is celebrated as Kali Puna in Kolkata and West Bengal, which is a sight to behold. Maa Kali temples in Kolkata, such as Kalighat, Belur Math, and Dakshineswar, draw a large number of visitors and devotees on this day.

Beautifully adorned brave Goddess Kali statues, often known as the dark mother, are on exhibit throughout the city for visitors. Kali is thought to be venerated because of her capacity to erase all negativity, ego, and delusions. During Diwali, everything is lit and illuminated.

The statue of Goddess Kali

Goa

Goa is one of the best places for a Diwali vacation in India. Locals construct many large-size Narakasura effigies which are filled with lanterns and grass, then burn them in the early morning. In addition, gambling has become a significant part of the Diwali festivities of Goa, travelers may try their luck in top casinos there.

Lanterns are hung during Diwali

Besides the places mentioned above, there are many other places where you can celebrate Diwali in India 2024. If you are traveling to India, let's take a look at Best places for solo travel in India to make your journey more exciting.

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Pack your bags and let’s explore a wonderful Diwali - India’s festival of lights.