Deepavali is one of the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated over 5 days with different meanings each day. It involves lighting lamps, decorating with rangoli designs, sharing sweets, and lighting fireworks. The festival signifies the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. It is celebrated with joy in India and other countries with Hindu populations to commemorate important events from religious texts.

1. Deepāvali
Tamaso Mā Jyotirgamaya

2. Deepāvali
• Also known as Diwāli
• Literal meaning, a row of lamps
• One of the biggest festival of Hindus
• Celebrated all over India
– In Kenya, Thailand, Trinidad and in many
more countries

3. The festival of Lights
• Celebrated for 5 days
• Customs vary but lighting
lamps is common
• Fireworks, Rangoli, Lamps
• Lights, Sparkles, Glitters!

4. Dhana-trayodashi
• Dhanteras, Yama Deepdān
• 13th day of Kārtika month
• Houses, business premises decorated
• Auspicious to buy gold, silver, new
utensils
• Lamps lit and kept burning all night
• Cattles adorned and worshipped in
villages

5. Dhana-trayodashi - Stories
• Son of King Hima, as per horoscope,
was doomed to die on this night
• His wife did not allow him to sleep
• She kept all ornaments, gold, silver at
the entrance of the room
• Yama, God of death, gets blinded by the
dazzle of brilliant lights and leaves
• Hence, the tradition of buying gold and
the name Yama Deepdān

6. Narak-chaturdashi
• Chhoti Diwāli, or little Diwāli
• Falls on 14th day of Kārtika
month
• Tradition is to get very early and
have an oil bath before the
sunrise
• Earthen lamps are lit

7. Narak-chaturdashi - Stories
• Narakāsur, the demon king of
Prāgjyotishpur, was killed by Lord Krishna
• After defeating the demon, Krishna
returned early in the morning and had
scented oil bath
• King Bali was pushed to
pātāl, or nether regions, by
Vāmanāvatār

8. Lakshmi Pujā
• Diwāli, Kaumudi Mahotsam
• Amāvasyā, or no moon night
• Day of Lakshmi, the Goddess
of wealth
• Millions of lamps lit
• Amāvasyā becomes brighter than
Poornimā, or full moon night

9. Lakshmi Pujā - Stories
• Lot of stories associated with this day
• Lord Rāma return to Ayodhyā after
defeating Rāvana
• Lord Krishna delivers knowledge of Gitā
to Arjuna
• Lord Krishna also attains “nirvāna” this
day
• Nachiketa attains knowledge from Yama
and returns back to earth

10. Bali Padya
• Pādwa, Varsha Pratipadā,
Govardhan Pujā, Annakoot
• In northern part of India, the
hill of Govardhan is worshipped
• Annakoot, meaning “mountain
of food”, is observed for all
deities
• Variety of sweets are made and
shared among all

11. Bali Padya - Stories
• Vikramāditya the great, held his
coronation and started a hindu
calendar, vikram samvat
• Lord Krishna, uprooted Govardhan hill
and held it up to save residents of
Gokul from rains
• Bali came back from pātāl and
given boon to return from nether
regions once a year

12. Bhāi Dooj
• Bhāv Beej, Bhāi Tika, Yama Dwiteeyā
• Sisters put tilak on forehead of brothers
and wish for their success
• Originates from the legend that Yama
went to see his sister Yami on this day
• Yama announced that anyone who
receives tilak from his sister this day,
will never suffer

13. More on Diwāli
• Sikh also celebrate Diwāli
to commemorate return of
6th Guru, Guru
Hargobind from captivity
• Lord Mahāvir, who
established Jainism,
obtained nirvāna on this
day

14. Significance of Diwāli
• Celebration of rise of knowledge
• Celebration of victory of dharma
• Occasion for self-enlightment
• Prosperity, peace, and progress for
all