Diwali is also known as Deepavali and the "festival of lights", is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year.The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the dark, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November.
Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes. For Diwali night, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family Puja typically to Lakshmi - the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After Puja (prayers), fireworks follow, then a family feast including Mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Diwali also marks a major shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.
Diwali is an important festival for Hindus. The name of festive days as well as the rituals of Diwali varies significantly among Hindus, based on the region of India. In many parts of India, the festivities start with Dhanteras, followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on the second day, Diwali on the third day, Diwali Padva dedicated to wife-husband relationship on the fourth day, and festivities end with Bhau-beej dedicated to sister-brother bond on the fifth day. Dhanteras usually falls eighteen days after Dussehra.
On the same night that Hindus celebrate Diwali, Jains celebrate a festival of lights to mark the attainment of Moksha by Mahavira, and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas.
Diwali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji.
Source: Wikipedia
Diwali is also known as Deepavali and the "festival of lights", is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year.The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the dark, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November.
Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes. For Diwali night, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family Puja typically to Lakshmi - the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After Puja (prayers), fireworks follow, then a family feast including Mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Diwali also marks a major shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.
Diwali is an important festival for Hindus. The name of festive days as well as the rituals of Diwali varies significantly among Hindus, based on the region of India. In many parts of India, the festivities start with Dhanteras, followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on the second day, Diwali on the third day, Diwali Padva dedicated to wife-husband relationship on the fourth day, and festivities end with Bhau-beej dedicated to sister-brother bond on the fifth day. Dhanteras usually falls eighteen days after Dussehra.
On the same night that Hindus celebrate Diwali, Jains celebrate a festival of lights to mark the attainment of Moksha by Mahavira, and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas.
Diwali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji.
Source: Wikipedia
2. HELIGA HANDLINGAR OCH HÖGTIDER
Ingen gemensam gudstjänst som inom
abrahamitsika religioner. Det viktigaste är att
delta i olika handlingar och ritualer. ”Hand-
lingarnas religion”,
Mängder med tempel i
Indien. Där bor gudarna
och man ber framför
gudabilderna och
överlämnar gåvor.
3. Varje hem har ett altare där puja utförs en eller
två gånger om dagen, oftast av kvinnorna. Det
går till så att man:
HELIGA HANDLINGAR OCH HÖGTIDER
Tvättar statyetterna, ger
blomstergirlanger, tänder
ljus
Offrar: rökelse, sötsaker,
frukt,
Sjunger, ber böner,
Äter den offrade maten =
gemensam måltid med
guden.
4. HELIGA HANDLINGAR OCH HÖGTIDER
Vrata är en helig ritual där kvinnan fastar
under dagen, är uppe och vakar under natten
och sedan på morgonen gör sig rituellt ren
för att avslutningsvis utföra puja.
Genom att ofta göra detta kan familjen
skyddas från sjukdomar och olyckor.
Ovanligare att män utför vrata.
5. HELIGA HANDLINGAR OCH HÖGTIDER
Hinduismens viktigaste högtid är diwali, ljusets
högtid.
Högtiden symboliserar att regntiden är över, att året
börjar på nytt. Liknar nyår i andra delar av världen,
Budskapet är att ljuset besegrar mörkret, det goda
besegrar det onda,
Familjer smyckar hem med blommor och girlanger
och tänder oljelampor,
Kvinnor får pre-
senter av sina
män, barnen
får nya kläder.