How Diwali festival is celebrated
Diwali festival is the most popular festival in India which is celebrated by all ages with great enthusiasm and joy. Diwali festival is celebrated for five days which occurs on the fifteenth day of the Hindu month of Kartika in the months of October or November of every year as Hindu New Year.
During the festival of Diwali Hindus worship Goddess Laxmi, who is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Many people starts the new ventures on the day of Diwali festival. People clean and decorate their homes with Rangoli , buy new clothes, share gifts and sweets to each other, lit the earthen lamps to help goddess Lakshmi to find her way into their homes and burn the fireworks everywhere during this festival by giving it name as “Festival of Lights”.
Since Diwali is a five day festival each day has its own importance of celebration.
The first day of Diwali an incarnation of Lord Vishnu of health and welfare Dhanvantari is worshipped. On this day people buy new things like clothes, gold and silver, vessels etc. as this day is considered as during Samudra Manthan lord Dhanvantari came from the sea. This day is also called as Dhanteras. The Day of Dhanteras is also known as the day of “YAMADEEPDAAN” and lamps are kept burning throughout the night in reverential adoration to Yam, the god of death.
On the second day of Diwali which is called as Naraka Chaturdashi where demon Narakasura was killed by Lord Krishna. So the day Naraka Chaturdashi signifies the victory of good over evil. In southern part of India this day is the significant day of Diwali festival.
The third day of Diwali which is the most important day for North Indians where Goddess of wealth Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh the God of auspicious beginnings are worshipped by lightening earthen lamps in their streets and homes to welcome prosperity and well-being. As Ganesh pooja plays prime importance on this auspicious occasion of Diwali lord Ganesh shares the altar with goddess Lakshmi.
On the fourth Goverdhan puja is performed, which was a small hillock near Mathura and was lifted by Lord Krishna to save people from heavy rains and floods. On this day, people build hillocks of cow dung and adorn them with flowers and worship them.
The fifth day of Diwali is called as Muharat Pujan which is considered as an auspicious day for starting any new ventures. The worship of Laxmi continues on this day to seek her blessings for success and happiness.
People leave the windows and doors of their houses open so that Lakshmi can come in after performing Laxmi Pooja in the evening. Though rituals vary according to region, people worship goddess Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity and Lord Ganesha. The earthen lights make Diwali a very warm and atmospheric festival.