Travelling to India during Diwali, one of the most famous Indian festivals called ‘the Festival of Lights’ is always a spectacle that allows the viewer to see the best of India, hear the best of India, and feel the best of India. Diwali is indeed one of the most widely celebrated festivals by millions of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists across India, and in most of the world, it’s a festival of lights where India glitters with light and performs with joy. This festival of light that defeats the darkness usually takes five days though each has a different meaning and tradition.
Area Celebrations: A Diverse Experience Across the Country
India is a big country and Diwali is also unique in every part of the country because there are so many traditions among people.
North India:
Diwali is a major festival in India that is celebrated very flamboyantly in cities such as Delhi, Jaipur, and Varanasi. Lights are placed at homes and streets, and fireworks are displayed in the aired areas. In Varanasi, thousands of tiny lamps burn in the darkness to commemorate the extinguishing of the Ganges river’s last flame. Bash is marked with huge feasts and exchange of sweets and gifts, and a tradition of special devotion in the form of ‘Lakshmi Puja’, which pays homage to the god of wealth.
West India:
In the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat people make rangoli, geometrical patterns made out of colourful powders, near the door of houses to let the goddess of prosperity in. In Gujarat, the festival is celebrated in the middle of October which is also the New Year festival for the people of Gujarat. Mumbai is one of the cities where Diwali celebrations are most spectacular: the markets are crowded and the Marine Drive – the ‘Queen’s Necklace’ – is illuminated with thousands of lights.
East India:
Diwali in West Bengal comes along with Kali Puja which is performed to the goddess Kali. The festivals here involve the erection of large pandals which house idols of Kali and these are decorated with lights, dhak, or drums being played. In Odisha, Diwali is celebrated by lighting up small jute sticks which are called kuanria to show the ancestor’s souls the path to heaven.
South India:
In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, Diwali is celebrated with the lighting of lamps, bursting of crackers, and feasting on special sweets and savouries. In Tamil Nadu, the first day of Diwali begins with an early morning oil bath, followed by wearing new clothes and offering prayers. In Karnataka, the Mysore Palace is beautifully illuminated, and the entire city of Mysore is transformed into a festive wonderland.
Days of Celebration: The Five Days of Diwali
Diwali is celebrated over five days, each with its significance and rituals:
Day 1: Dhanteras:
The festival begins with Dhanteras, a day dedicated to the worship of wealth and prosperity. People clean their homes, buy new utensils or gold, and light the first diyas to ward off evil spirits. In some regions, it’s also a day for performing Yama Deepam, a ritual to appease Yama, the god of death.
Day 2: Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali):
Also known as Choti Diwali, this day commemorates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura. People wake up early, take a ritualistic oil bath, and apply ubtan (a paste of herbs and oils) to cleanse their bodies. The day is marked by the lighting of lamps and the bursting of firecrackers, symbolising the destruction of evil.
Day 3: Diwali (Lakshmi Puja):
The third day is the most significant and widely celebrated. It is the day of Lakshmi Puja, where people worship the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, along with Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Homes are decorated with rangoli, and every corner is illuminated with lamps and lights. After the puja, families gather to exchange sweets and gifts, and the night sky is lit up with fireworks.
Day 4: Govardhan Puja (Padwa):
The fourth day is also different in different regions. Later, it is known as ‘Govardhan Puja,’ observed in North India which depicts the God Krishna lifting the Govardhan hill to safeguard the villagers from the downpour. While in Gujarat the festival falls on the first day of the calendar we follow and hence is the first day of the new year. In Maharashtra, it is known as Padwa, which symbolises the love of the husband and wife.
Day 5: Bhai Dooj:
There is another function known as ‘Bhai Dooj’, which marks the celebration of the bond between brothers and their sisters. Sisters put a mark of turmeric on the foreheads of brothers and they perform rituals and offer prayers for the longevity of life of their brothers and brothers in turn offer gifts to the sisters. This day seems more of a day for eating and coming together with family.
Road Shows and Processions: Celebrating with the Masses
Diwali is also not only confined to the private space of homes; it also goes out into the public domain in the ways of road shows, processions, and even communal-like gatherings.
Processions:
On the occasion of Diwali in numerous Indian regions, particularly in rural, it is customary to have processions that involve idols of the deity carried on the streets together with music, songs, and fireworks. In certain areas of the country, the Ramayana is enacted in a passion play format called Ramlila and ends with the effigy of demon king Ravana being burnt.
Community Events:
End of large-scale events such as fairs (melas) are arranged by the cities and towns and people can have fun with rides, games, and food. Most of these occasions include cultural beliefs including dancing and singing ability in line with the traditions of the community living there.
Fireworks Shows:
Fireworks are settings free on the evening of the festival of Diwali in the night sky. These shows are organized at a large scale in cities such as Delhi as well as Mumbai and people in thousands turn up in the parks and other open areas to watch these mind-blowing shows.
Decorations: Transforming India into a Land of Lights
Floral decorations are made all over the place, but even more beautiful is the way the entire landscape is lit up during Diwali. From each house, from each street, from each marketplace decorations are added to create the spirit of the festival.
Lighting of Diyas
Diyas or the lighting of oil lamps appears to be the oldest and the most widespread type of decoration. These are the small lamps that are placed on the windowsills, balconies, and yards that give out a warm and bright light that stands for the removal of darkness and ignorance.
Electric Lights and Lanterns
In urban areas, people use electricity, electric lamps, and other lanterns to brighten their homes. Lanterns hang from the ceilings of streets as well as from the walls of houses and they are hung in various designs. Also in some regions, large lamps named Akash Kandils are put outside the houses, thus enhancing the spirits of the festival.
Rangoli
The second important way of decorating during Diwali is through the making of rangoli patterns on the floors in the homes. These designs normally involve using different colors of powders or rice or flower petals and are drawn for the entrance of homes to welcome the deity and guests. Rangoli designs make simple geometrical designs to complex designs made to depict deities and nature.
Floral Decorations
Marigold flowers are very popular for Diwali decorations but any flower can be used. Garlands hang over doors and windows and flowers are used to adorn puja rooms and alter. The flowers are fresh, and the colors are bright which makes the environment to be as festive as possible.
The Spirit of Diwali: A Time of Joy, Generosity, and Unity
Having gone through the lights, the decorations, and the festivities worth knowing that Diwali is all about happiness, charity, and togetherness. In this period, one would see a lot of gatherings in preparation for the holidays, people sticking together in their compounds and sharing with neighbours. Diwali is also characterised by acts of charity and philanthropists where people give out gifts and celebrate with the less privileged.
This is indeed a chance for any visitor to India to be a part of a great festival and find what the country is all about, at its best. This is one time of the year that the people of India are at their most friendly and warm thus making it a perfect time to visit. If you light a lamp with a family in India, sit back and watch India’s largest firecracker burst, or just take a shower in the hues of Diwali, the feelings will stay with you forever.
Conclusion
Celebrating Diwali in India is like undertaking a deep immersion in the richest aspects of the country’s heritage. The joy and colour that is seen in the decorations, which are followed by the gatherings of community provide a different view of India which is indeed full of joy and generosity. When they invade the streets filled with diyas and fireworks, one does not only just watch a festive occasion but be a part of the tradition that united people for millenniums. The brightness of the lights and candles, the pompous ceremonies, the happy people, and the good mood of Diwali is unforgettable even to an onlooker.