Diwali दीपावली

Diwali, from Deepavali, the row of lamps, is a five-day season rather than a single evening, and its stories vary by region. In much of north India it recalls the return of Rama to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, when citizens lit lamps to welcome him. In many homes across India the dominant theme is Lakshmi, who according to the Puranas rose from the churning of the ocean of milk, and her worship takes place on the new-moon evening, which is the main night of the festival.

Other threads are woven in. In South India the day before is commonly marked as Naraka Chaturdashi, which remembers Krishna's defeat of the demon Naraka, and people bathe in oil before dawn. In Bengal the new moon night belongs to Kali, in Gujarat the new year of the Vikram calendar starts the next day, and traders in many regions open fresh account books in a ceremony called Chopda Pujan. Jains remember Mahavira's liberation on a related night, and Sikhs observe Bandi Chhor Divas, which shows how widely the lights are shared.

The five days normally run from Dhanteras through Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja and Govardhan Puja to Bhai Dooj. Preparations include cleaning and whitewashing the house, drawing rangoli at the threshold, and exchanging sweets with neighbours. Where firecrackers are a concern for air quality or for pets and elders, many families now choose lamps and low-noise celebrations.