Diwali Festival 2023: History, Significance & Celebration

Diwali Date (2023, 2024, 2025) 

Diwali 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 2023, Diwali is on November 12.
• In 2024, Diwali is on October 29.
• In 2025, Diwali is on October 20.

Festival of Lights

Diwali, also known as Deepavali comes from the Sanskrit word Dipawali meaning “Row or Series of Lights”. The festival of light is traditionally celebrated by lighting earthen lamps. We can see millions of lamps lit at homes, temples, shops, and public buildings.

Diwali is known as the Festival of Light. The festival is traditionally celebrated by lighting earthen lamps but nowadays, we use candles or LED lights for Diwali decoration. Homes, offices, or workplaces everywhere are decorated with lights in different colors.

Significance of Diwali

• Diwali is a religious as well as cultural festival in India. Not only Hindus, but Sikhs, Jain, and Bouddh also celebrate Holi as per their religious belief. Thus the festival is celebrated by many religions in India and hence the festival serves to enhance social unity.
• Although Diwali is one of the Most Important Hindu Festivals, people from other religions also celebrate this festival as per their own religious beliefs and tradition. Apart from Hindu, Sikh, Boudh, and Jain communities also celebrate this festival with the same temperament. We can say that Diwali is a cultural festival celebrated by many religions in India

History of the Diwali Festival

Every festival has some story or legend associated with it. As the festival comes closer, the question frequently comes to our mind: why is Diwali celebrated? The festival, which is one of the most significant for those of the Hindu faith, can trace its origins back to ancient times “when the end of the summer harvest the season was celebrated with much pomp and splendor”. 

• Deepavali is celebrated since ancient times. The story of Diwali dated back to the time of Ramayana. Most people believe that when Hindu God Rama returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita, and brother, Lakshman, after 14 years of exile the people of Ayodhya lit a lamp of ghee to welcome him. To illuminate the path through which they return and in order to guide them home, Diyas (clay lamps) are lit everywhere. Every road in Ayodhya was decorated with golden flowers and the world is bathed in golden hues of light.
• The people of Jainism celebrate Diwali because Mahavir Swami, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara, attained salvation on this day and incidentally his disciple Gautama attained enlightenment on this day.
• Diwali coincides with the Sikh celebration of Bandi Chhor Divas, a religious holiday that commemorates the release of Sikh Guru Hargobind Ji from the Gwalior Fort in India in the 17th century. The Guru, who was imprisoned by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, was standing against the emperor’s regime’s oppression of the Indian people. Loosely translated, Bandi Chhor means ‘release of incarcerated people. So to Sikhs, the festival represents freedom. The Sikh community also celebrates this festival with great pomp and light. They celebrate the festival because the sixth Guru of the Sikhs, Hargobind Singh Ji, was released from the prison of Gwalior by Jahangir on the same day.

Diwali is a 5 Day Festival

5 Days of Diwali

Diwali is celebrated over 5 Days. Each day of Diwali has a different significance than others. First Day is known as Dhanteras, Second day of Diwali is known as Chhoti Diwali. The Third Day is the main Diwali also Known as Lakshmi Puja, Fourth Day is known as jGoverdhan Puja, and the Fifth Day of Diwali is known as Bhai Doo. Know more here:- 5 Days of Diwali

Diwali Festival Celebration