Diwali 2012
DIWALI
CELEBRATES TO VICTORY OF THE GOOD OVER THE EVIL AND LIGHT OVER DARKNESS. IS HAS
A MAJOR RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE FOR HINDUS, SIKHS AND JAINS ALIKE - NOT ONLY IN
INDIA, BUT ALSO FOR INDIANS LIVING ABROAD. IN THE WESTERN (GREGORIAN) CALENDAR,
DIWALI FALLS ON A DAY IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER EVERY YEAR - JUST AFTER THE
MONSOON SEASON IN INDIA. THE EXACT DATE VARIES AND IS BEING CALCULATED BASED ON
THE HINDU LUNI-SOLAR CALENDAR (ACCORDING TO THE POSITIONS OF THE SUN AND THE
MOON). THE DAY OF DIWALI FALLS ON ASHVINA AMAVASYA (THE LUNAR DAY OF NEW MOON)
ON 15 ASHVIN (HINDU MONTH). THIS DATE ALSO MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE HINDU NEW
YEAR, AND MANY BUSINESSES IN INDIA STARTING A NEW ACCOUNTING YEAR ON THE DIWALI
HOLIDAY.
DIWALI IS A FESTIVAL OVER 5 DAYS. ON THE
FIRST DAY (DHANTERAS) PEOPLE PRAY TO GODDESS LAXMI FOR PROSPERITY AND
WEALTH. THE SECOND DAY (CHOTI DIWALI) IS ALSO KNOWN AS 'SMALL DIWALI',
'NARAKA CHATURDASHI' OR 'KALI CHAUDAS' IN SOME STATES. ACCORDING TO THE LEGEND,
LORD KIRSHNA KILLED THE EVIL DAEMON NARAKASURA ON THIS DAY. PEOPLE WORSHIP
GODDESS LAKSHMI AND LORD RAMA. THE THIRD DAY IS THE ACTUAL DAY OF DIWALI. MANY DEVOTEES VISIT
THEIR TEMPLES FOR WORSHIPPING LAKSHMI, GODDESS OF BEAUTY, WEALTH AND WISDOM
WITH LAXMI POOJAS AND ALSO PRAY TO GANESH, THE 'LORD OF BEGINNINGS' AND
'REMOVER OF OBSTACLES'. WHEN AARTI IS PERFORMED, OIL LAMPS WITH A COTTON WICK
ARE PLACED ON A PUJA THALI AND OFFERED TO THE DEITIES, PRAISING THE DEITY BY
SINGING WONDERFUL AARTI SONGS. AT NIGHT PEOPLE LIGHT UP LITTLE OIL LAMPS CALLED
DIYAS, DIPA LIGHTS OR GHEE LAMPS AND PLACE THEM AROUND THEIR HOUSES. THEY HANG
COLORFUL LANTERNS AND FAIRY LIGHTS, ENJOYING FIREWORK DISPLAYS OR BLASTING
FIRECRACKERS. THE FORTH DAY PADWA IS 1 KARTIKA IN THE HINDU CALENDAR AND
IS ALSO KNOWN AS GOVARDHAN PUJA OR ANNAKOOT. IT IS SAID THAT KRISHNA DEFEATED
THE GOD OF RAIN AND THE HEAVENS INDRA ON THAT DAY. HE LIFTED MOUNT GOVARDHANA
TO SAVE PEOPLE'S LIFE FROM THE FLOODS. ON THIS DAY PEOPLE COOK MOUNTAINS OF
FOOD RESEMBLING MOUNT GOVARDHANA. ACCORDING TO ANOTHER LEGEND FOLLOWED IN
SOUTH-INDIA, VISHNU DEFEATED THE DEMON-KING BALI ON THIS DAY. FINALLY THE FIFTHS
AND LAST DAY OF DIWALI IS CALLED 'BHAIDUJ' BHAI DOOJ ALSO KNOWN AS 'YAMA DWITIYA'. THIS IS THE DAY
FOR BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. JUST LIKE YAMI
PRAYED FOR HER BROTHER YAMA (GOD OF DEATH), SISTERS ARE PRAYING FOR THEIR
BROTHER'S WELL-BEING ON THIS DAY, AND BROTHERS GIVE LITTLE GIFTS TO THEIR
SISTERS IN RETURN.
ON DIWALI FAMILIES GATHER
AND EATING LOTS OF FOODS AND SWEETS. IT IS ALSO COMMON TO SEND DIWALI GREETING
CARDS TO FAMILY MEMBERS, RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. RECENTLY HOWEVER IT IS BECOMING
MORE POPULAR TO SEND DIWALI ECARDS OR DIWALI SMS. DIWALI MELA (FAIRS) TAKE
PLACE NOT ONLY IN INDIA, BUT IN MANY COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD. SELLERS OF
HANDICRAFT AND ARTWORKS LIKE TO RENT A BOOTH ON A DIWALI MELA TO OFFER THEIR
ITEMS FOR SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND VENUES FOR
THIS EVENT CAN RANGE FROM SMALL COMMUNITY HALLS TO THE SIZE OF A WHOLE STADIUM
LIKE IN THE CASE OF THE DIWALI MELA 2012 IN DALLAS, TEXAS, USA IN THE COTTON BOWL STADIUM (DATE:
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, 2012/TIME: 4PM TO MIDNIGHT) WITH APPROX. 100,000
ATTENDEES..
diwali
good sir ji...
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