Diwali is a multi-day Hindu festival celebrated with lights and fireworks. While people in different parts of the world celebrate Diwali in different ways, it is considered by all to be a time for prayer, family celebrations, and renewal.
The main night of Diwali this year takes place October 24th.
Also called Deepavali, in some parts of India, it is one of the most important Hindu holidays of the year and is a celebration of the classic triumph of good over evil. Lord Rama saves his wife Sita by defeating Ravana, a demon king, and returns to his kingdom Ayodhya. During Deepavali, everyone in the family gets together to celebrate. The festival takes place over five days, starting with the day of fortune with prayers/puja to Goddess Laxmi.
A time for renewal
A few days leading up to the festival day, elderly women in the family help the womenfolk in the household with traditional snack recipes and sweets like laddoo, badursha, muruku, and mixture. They make these in large quantities to share with neighbors and friends visiting on the day. The entire house is thoroughly cleaned before the festival arrives.
Another annual tradition is the purchase of new clothes. The whole household wears new clothes and sits together for Laxmi puja (prayers in honor of the goddess of wealth). After puja is done, everyone enjoys the day watching special programs including recently released blockbuster movies on television that are telecast just for the occasion, while munching on delicious homemade snacks and savories.
In India, on the night of Deepavali, fireworks blaze the sky in beautiful colors. As we become more environmentally conscious, to avoid sound and air pollution, fireworks have lessened, giving place to lights on the walls. Rows of diyas (small mud lamps with wicks dipped in ghee/puja oil) decorate the walls of houses making neighborhoods glitter with beautiful light.
Written by: Priyadarshini Rajendran lives in Fremont, Calif., and has two children. She is an enthusiastic traveler, bookworm, cook, and blogger. She runs a blog Glorious Sunrise.
Want to know more about Diwali and share this holiday with your kids?
Here are7 books for young children about this very special holiday:
Archie Celebrates Diwali
by Mitali Banerjee Ruths, illustrated by Parwinder Singh
From the publisher: It's Archie's favorite holiday—Diwali. And this year she gets to share it with her friends and introduce them to the festival of lights! Archana loves her family's annual Diwali party, and this year she gets to share it with all her friends from school. She helps with the decorations and the food, and is eager for everyone to arrive. But once the party starts a thunderstorm kicks up and drenches the outside decorations and knocks out the power. Archie worries that everything will be ruined. How can there be a festival of lights without any electricity?
Intended for ages 3-7
Let's Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali!
by Ajanta Chakraborty and Vivek Kumar
From the publisher: You know about the 12 Days of Christmas. But do you know about the 5 days of Diwali, India's Festival of Lights?
Go on an adventure with Maya, Neel and their cute little partner, Chintu the squirrel, as they learn all about this famous Indian festival of lights including Dhanteras, Diwali sweets, Rangoli drawings, fireworks and the special sibling bond of Bhai Dooj.
Intended for ages 2-6
Binny's Diwali
by Thrity Umrigar, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani
From the publisher: Binny is excited to talk to her class about her favorite holiday. But she struggles to find the words.Taking a deep breath, she tells her classmates about the fireworks that burst like stars in the night sky, leaving streaks of gold and red and green. She shares with them delicious pedas and jalebis. And she shows them clay lamps, called diyas, which look so pretty all the children ooh and aah.
Intended for ages 4-8
My Little Book of Lakshmi
By Ashwitha Jayakumar, illustrated by Rachna Raghuram
From the publisher: Lovely Lakshmi comes to Earth once a year. Will she have a good time here? With charming illustrations and simple language, this short tale about Lakshmi will entertain and delight. The book is dotted with interesting facts about each god as well as an interactive seek-and-find activity. The perfect way to familiarize babies and toddlers with India's rich cultural fabric.
Intended for ages 0-5
Amma, Tell Me About Diwali!
By Bhakti Mathur, illustrated by Maulshree Somani
From the publisher: Celebrate Diwali, the Indian festival of lights by reading this wonderful children's picture book to your kids (for ages 2 to 8). Join the two brothers Klaka and Kiki as they light diyas and firecrackers, buy new clothes, and get Amma to answer their countless questions — Why do we celebrate Diwali? Why do we pray to Ganesha and Lakshmi on Diwali? And hear the story of Rama and his homecoming. A perfect book to introduce the stories behind Diwali to your children.
Intended for ages 2-8
Diwali: Celebrate the World
By Hannah Eliot, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
From the publisher: Each autumn we gather with our friends and family and light our brightest lanterns. It’s time for Diwali, the festival of lights! In this lovely board book with illustrations from Archana Sreenivasan, readers learn that the five days of Diwali are a time to pray for a bountiful season, celebrate the special bonds between siblings, and rejoice in the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
Intended for ages 0-5
Lots of Lights
By Kavita G. Sahai, illustrated by Vladividal
From the publisher: A fun Diwali story that explains each day of celebration. Helping children understand Indian culture allows them to be better global citizens, and for Indian children in America, it allows them to learn about their culture in a fresh and relevant way.
Intended for ages 2-5
