Diwali Festival The most well-known

Indian festival. A 5 day celebration

which occurs on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Kartika.

This is during October or November on our calendar.

Diwali means “rows of lighted lamps”

Referred to as the Festival of Lights because of the common practice of lighting small oil lamps called diyas and placing them around the home.

Diwali Festival of Lights

Greeting Lakshmi During this time, homes are thoroughly cleaned,

windows are opened and diyas are lit as a greeting to Lakshmi.

Who is Lakshmi?

She is the goddess of wealth.

The celebration means as much to Hindus as Christmas does to Christians.

It signifies the renewal of life. It brings in the approach of winter and the

beginning of the sowing season.

Diwali

Gifts are exchanged.

Festive meals are prepared.

Sweets are exchanged.

New clothes are worn.

Huge firework displays.

Diwali Customs

The festival is celebrated for different reasons.

In parts of India they celebrates the goddess Lakshmi – the goddess of wealth

In Nepal they celebrate the victory of lord Krishna over the demon king. It signifies good over evil.

In northern India it is the story of Rama and Sita. They danced and lit fireworks to show how happy they were with the safe return of the king.

Diwali Legends

The story of Rama and Sita

A good man, called Rama, was married to a beautiful princess, called Sita.

They had been banished to live in the forest with his brother, Lakshman, by his stepmother, as she wanted her son to be King.

Ravana, the Demon king with ten heads, heard of Sita’s beauty and goodness and planned to kidnap her. By magic, he conjured up a golden fawn. She asked Rama to capture it

The demon king disguised himself as an old man and tricked Sita. He kidnapped her and flew away on his chariot back to his island, Lanka.

Rama and Lakshman searched many months for Sita. Finally, they asked Hanuman, king of the monkey army, for help. Hanuman could fly.

He found Sita imprisoned on the island of Lanka. Hanuman, Rama and Lakshman prepared themselves for battle.

This was one of the greatest battles ever seen. The fighting lasted for ten whole days.

It looked as though Ravana was going to win, until Rama borrowed a special bow and arrow from the gods. Rama shot Ravana and the battle was won.

Rama rescued Sita and they decided to go home. As it got dark, the people of the kingdom put out little oil lamps (divas) in their windows to show the way home.

It seemed as though there were more lamps than stars in the sky.

Everyone was happy and Rama and Sita ruled well. Now every year people remember this story at Divali by lighting diva lights inside their homes and fireworks outside.

A Rangoli is a colourful design drawn on the floor near the entrance to a house to welcome guests.

During Diwali, Hindus draw bright Rangoli patterns on the floor by the front door to encourage the goddess Lakshmi to enter their homes.

Rangoli can be square, rectangular or circular.

They are traditionally drawn using rice grains, flour, sand or chalk.

Rangoli designs are usually taken from nature. Peacocks, swans, mango and flowers are popular.