Festival of Lights—Diwali
There are many festivals which are celebrated throughout India because of different religions and culture. Festival of Lights-Diwali is one such festival. Deepawali or Diwali is celebrated with great enthusiasm by the people and is one of the most popular festivals of Hindus.
Diwali usually falls towards the end of October or the beginning of November according to the English calendar, whereas according to the Hindu calendar Diwali falls on the New Moon day in the month of Kartik.
This festival of lights is associated with many legends. It marks the victory of Lord Rama over evil Ravana. It was on this day that Rama, Sita, and Laxman returned after an exile of fourteen years and in their honor, the people of the Ayodhya Kingdom lit rows of diyas to show their happiness.
The houses, shops, and buildings are whitewashed and are thoroughly cleaned and dusted by the people some days before Diwali. This is why Diwali is considered to be an auspicious occasion. People buy new utensils and clothes to be worn by the young as well as the old. Everyone wants to sparkle on the occasion of Diwali like the sparklers.
In the evening people worship Goddess Lakshmi for wealth as per the tradition. After that people especially children burst crackers and illuminate their homes with diyas and candles. On this day some people decorate their homes with colorful rangoli.
People invite their near and dear ones and exchange gifts and share sweets with each other.
This is a day when people eat, drink, and make merry. The sound of fireworks can be heard in towns and cities. But some people wrongly believe that if they gamble at night on Diwali the Goddess Lakshmi would be pleased and would bring them luck. In reality, this gambling must be stopped as it is a social curse.
Diwali creates a sense of unity among the people of every culture and religion.
