Why is Diwali celebrated & Known as festival of Light?

Diwali or Deepawali 2021: The festival of lights Deepawali is one of the biggest festivals in India. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is celebrated during the Amavasya of the Kartik month. The festival symbolises the victory of light over darkness. As per the Hindu epic Ramayana, Diwali marks the victory of Lord Rama over evil as he defeated King Ravana and returned to his homeland Ayodhya along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman after spending 14 years in exile.

In northern India, they celebrate the story of King Rama's return to Ayodhya after he defeated Ravana by lighting rows of clay lamps.

Southern India celebrates it as the day that Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura.

In western India the festival marks the day that Lord Vishnu, the Preserver (one of the main gods of the Hindu trinity) sent the demon King Bali to rule the nether world.

DIWALI IS CELEBRATED OVER FIVE DAYS.

• DAY ONE: People clean their homes and shop for gold or kitchen utensils to help bring good fortune.
• DAY TWO: People decorate their homes with clay lamps and create design patterns called rangoli on the floor using colored powders or sand.
• DAY THREE: On the main day of the festival, families gather together for Lakshmi puja, a prayer to Goddess Lakshmi, followed by mouth-watering feasts and firework festivities.
• DAY FOUR: This is the first day of the new year, when friends and relatives visit with gifts and best wishes for the season.
• DAY FIVE: Brothers visit their married sisters, who welcome them with love and a lavish meal.

• Happy Diwali