Diwali, well known as the festival of lights, is a festival that is celebrated in almost
all parts of India. It is an Indian festival that marks the victory of good over bad
(evil). It is a festival celebrated by Indians with great enthusiasm. The festival
commemorates joy, harmony and victory. It also marks the return of Lord Ram
from exile, which is described in the epic Ramayana.
Diwali is also called Deepavali, where Deep means light and Avali means an
array of lights. So this festival is celebrated by lighting lamps (usually earthen
lamps) all around the house/office. Thus, it becomes the festival of lights. It also
symbolises light as the victory over darkness. Generally, according to the stars,
the date for Diwali falls in October or November and is expected to be 20 days
after Dussehra. It is celebrated in the Hindu month called Kartika.
Elaborate Essay on Diwali
Diwali is a festival of lights. It is one of the biggest and grandest festivals
celebrated mainly in India. Diwali is a festival commemorated to mark joy, victory
and harmony. Diwali, also known as Deepavali, falls during the month of October
or November. It is celebrated after 20 days of the Dussehra festival. The word
‘Deepavali’ is a Hindi word which means an array of lamps (‘Deep’ means
earthen lamps and ‘Avali’ means a queue or an array).
Diwali is celebrated in the honour of Lord Ramchandra because on this day Lord
Rama returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. During this exile period, he
fought with demons and the demon king Ravana who was the powerful ruler of
Lanka. On Rama’s return, people of Ayodhya lit diyas to welcome him and
celebrate his victory. Since then, Diwali is celebrated to declare the victory of
good over evil.
In India, it is a festival of fun and happiness. People decorate their homes and
offices with various lights, cook delicious food, exchange gifts, and share
happiness. At places of business, many consider Diwali as the start of their
financial new year. Goddess Lakshmi (God of wealth) is worshipped with great
devotion on the Third Day of the 5-day long festival.
The five days are Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Pooja, Govardhan
Pooja, and Bhai Dooj. Diwali preparations have an important significance for
Indians. The preparations start from one month before the actual date of the
festival and people indulge in buying new clothes, gifts, new books, lights,
crackers, sweets, dry fruits, etc.
Some also believe in discarding old things and buying new ones, a refresher
once in a year. This also involves discarding unused old items at home and
buying new ones in the name of Diwali, so the festival brings in everything fresh
and new. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi visits the place of worship (maybe
house or office) on Diwali and blesses them. Hence there is a lot of discipline and
devotion that goes into the celebration of this festival.
On the day of the festival, courtyards are decorated with colourful rangoli, and
lamps are lit on the rangoli. People dress in new clothes, eat the delicacies, light
lamps, and as the sun sets, they burst crackers. Crackers not only make
noise but are also fun to play with during the festival.
However, considering the environmental pollution, it is good not to burn too many
crackers, and also they are not safe as they are made of harmful material. There
are many instances where kids hurt themselves while bursting crackers. It is
important to burst crackers only under adult supervision. Also, it is best to reduce
the number of crackers you burst as it causes a lot of air and noise pollution.
Noise also hurts animals, and they get scared.
So let us not forget the environment and the animals to which these crackers
cause harm. We can still enjoy the festivities with just the lights and have fun.
However, to keep up the tradition, we can just burst a few crackers and celebrate
in an eco-friendly way.
People also worship goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha on the eve of Diwali.
Lord Ganesha, known as a demolisher of obstacles, is worshipped for wisdom
and intellect. Also, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped on the occasion of Diwali for
wealth and prosperity. Diwali puja is said to evoke the blessings of these deities.
The preparation for the festival commences many days prior to the festival. It
starts with the thorough cleaning of houses and shops. Many people also discard
all the old household items and get all the renovation work done before the onset
of the festival. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi visits people’s houses on
Diwali night to bless them. Hence, all the devotees clean and decorate their
houses with fairy lights, flowers, rangoli, candles, diyas, garlands etc. for the
festival. The festival is usually celebrated for three days. The first day is called
Dhanteras on which there is a tradition to buy new items, especially ornaments.
The next days are to celebrate Diwali when people burst crackers and adorn their
houses. There is also a custom to visit your friends and families and exchange
gifts. Lots of sweets and Indian specialities are prepared on this occasion.
Diwali is a festival enjoyed by everyone. Amid all the festivities, we tend to forget
that bursting crackers lead to noise and air pollution. It can be very dangerous for
kids and can even cause fatal burns. Bursting crackers reduces air-quality index
and visibility at many places which are responsible for accidents that are often
reported after the festival. Hence, it is important to have a safe and eco-friendly
Diwali.
Diwali is rightly called the festival of light as the whole world brightens up on this
day. The festival brings joy and hence, it is my favourite festival!
It is aptly given the name Diwali as the whole world lights up on this day of the
festival. Many satellite images show how India looks on Diwali. These days
Indians all over the world celebrate Diwali by lighting lamps, and hence it is a
global festival. So let us all join hands and take an oath to celebrate this
traditional festival with responsibility so that everyone, including mother earth, is
safe and free from pollution.
