Diwali is a major Hindu festival celebrated in India that involves the lighting of lamps. It commemorates Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. During Diwali, people wear new clothes, light oil lamps outside and inside their homes, draw colorful rangoli designs, light fireworks, share sweets and gifts with family and friends, and worship Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity.

1. DIWALI CELEBRATIONS
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. Diwali is
celebrated in the honour of Lord
Ramchandra because on this day Lord
Rama returned to Ayodhya after 14
years of exile.

2. DIWALI TIMELINE
Diwali lasts
for about 5
days . Diwali
occurs in
late October
or early
November.

3. HOW IS DIWALI CELEBRATED?
During Diwali,
people wear their
finest clothes,
illuminate the
interior and
exterior of their
homes with diyas
and rangoli,
perform worship
ceremonies of
Lakshmi, the
goddess of
prosperity and
wealth, light
fireworks, and eat
or drink in family
feasts, where
mithai (sweets)
and gifts are
shared.

4. RANGOLI MAKING
People also
draw beautiful
and colorful
designs called
RANGOLI. They
draw it inside or
outside the
house during
Diwali . To make
the design they
use either
colorful stone
dust or colorful
flowers. In this
picture these
girls are drawing
a rangoli with
colorful stone
dust.

5. ANCIENT LEGENDS
India has been
celebrating
Diwali for a
long time.
There are lots
of stories
behind Diwali
.It symbolizes
winning of
good over evil,
and light over
darkness.
Diwali is a time
of joy and
worship.

6. FIRECRACKERS

7. SWEETS

8. WORSHIP OF GOD AND
GODDESS

9. PEOPLE EXCHANGING
GIFTS

10. MORE ABOUT DIWALI
The Diwali festival is likely a fusion of harvest
festivals in ancient India.[49] It is mentioned
in Sanskrit texts such as the Padma
Purana and the Skanda Purana both of which
were completed in the second half of the 1st
millennium CE. The diyas (lamps) are
mentioned in Skanda Kishore Purana as
symbolising parts of the sun, describing it as
the cosmic giver of light and energy to all life
and which seasonally transitions in the Hindu
calendar month of Kartik.
King Harsha refers to Deepavali, in the 7th
century Sanskrit play Nagananda,
as Dīpapratipadotsava (dīpa =
light, pratipadā = first day, utsava = festival),
where lamps were lit and newly engaged
brides and grooms received
gifts. Rajasekhara referred to Deepavali
as Dipamalika in his 9th
century Kavyamimamsa, wherein he mentions
the tradition of homes being whitewashed
and oil lamps decorated homes, streets and
markets in the night.