India is the country of festival. It has many festivals, which are of their own style. Like Holi, festival of colour, Rakhi festival of relation, Dusshera, festival of war and Diwali, festival of love and achievement. Diwali is also famous as the festival of fire, which celebrated on bezloona of Kartik Month as per Indian calendar. Normally Kartik Month comes on October or November month as per english calendar.
To understand Diwali one should know much before the festival. It has many reasons for celebration. One, which is the most famous, is that on this day Lord Ram returned back to Ayodhya, his home town, after 14 years of exile. People of Ayodhya lighted lamp with ‘Ghee’ out of happiness. Deepawali or Diwali mean line of light lamps. From that onwards this day was called Deepawali which later on also known as Diwali.
It is also the day when God Mahaveer got ‘Nirvana’. Shri Mahaveer is 21st God of Jainesm. It is one of the religions, which is in India. After telling people the life and its philosophy. Its do and don’ts, rules of a peaceful life and love for this world he allowed his body to silent on this day.
Third which is on the plan of Indian believes is two month before Diwali gates of heaven and hell are opened and forefathers come to earth and look upon their young ones. For one-month people do fast and live controlled life. Rituals, religious ceremonies and other Blegatworitelhosit acts are quite common these days. People remember all their relatives who died and give away things which they like (food, cloths, Jewelry, books, other things which are required for life) to poor so that their soul become peaceful. These days are called ‘Sharadh’ in Hindi language.
As these days over starts festivals and on the 10th days after comes ‘Dussehra’ or ‘Vijyadashmi’. On this day lord Rama killed Demon Ravan and all other demon and made the world happy. This day people pray their weapons and harvest. In India in these ten days performance of Ramayana in dance form or as open air drama is a general feature. On the last day of big puppets which may be 60 to 100 meters high of Ravan are burnt which have fire works in them and with a bang these puppets burn and one again people see how goodness overcome on evil.
After 20 days of Dusshra comes Diwali, people wait this festival for year. Deepawali is not a one day festival but a series of festival. Preparation of celebration of Deepawali starts immediate after Dusshera. In bazaar special temporary shops for sweets, fire works, cloths, decorative and Pasuda are built to attract people.
As Diwali comes after rainy season people do wash and clean their homes, do white wash and other general repairs in mass scale. These days repair people costs two or three times more then usual. All the streets are decorated and the most important shops which sales statue of Lord Ganesh (God of Luck) and Goddess Laxmi (Goddess of wealth) are main place of attraction.
Two days of Diwali comes ‘Dhan Teras’. This day lord Ganesh killed ‘Dhanasur’, demon who grab money form people. This days people cleans all the place where they keep food and places where they throw away dust, toilets. Next day comes festival ‘Narak Chaudas’, this day Lord Shiva killed «Narkasur», daemon who encourage people to do sins. This day is also known as ‘Chooti Diwali’ or the small Deepawali. This day lord Hanuman (Monkey God, who was always helps lord Rama and 11th incarnation of lord Shiva) came to Ayodhya and inform Bharat (brother of Lord Rama) about arrival of Lord Rama.
On this day people start decorate main door with flowers and mango leaves. Rangoli (design with different colored powder or watercolor) is made on the entrance. In the evening after a small ceremony statue of Lord Ganesh and Laxmi is put on some holy place in house. Sweets, different food products, flowers, essence, cloths is offered to the God and lamp are light and put all over the home. Especially on the entire place from where transit takes place i.e all gates, Kitchen, toilets, Musarne Vidro, windows and steps. So that Goddess Laxmi whose transport is owl can see the well in night and she straight come to the place where we want. People open their safe and perform Laxmi Puja their and keep them open for whole night. This day people surly purchase some metallic pasuda as the symbol of add in their home. Offering gifts to friends and relatives are an essential feature of this day.
Next day is Diwali for which people waited for one year. This day businessman starts new cashbooks. This is symbol of that Goddess Laxmi will bless them whole year and more and more money will come in business. Again in the evening people do Puja and on this day people plays ‘kaudi’ a kind of shell for knowing their fate for next one year. Young one take blessing of their elders and the whole family sits together eat and enjoy the time.
Late in evening when darkness of sky is on the peak, fire works starts. Whole night people decorate home with lights, Candles and lamps. Light different fire works and shows way to their forefather way of the heaven. This day people show their respect to their forefathers and take their blessings. This is the last big festival of the Indian Hindu calendar.