What Are Some Important & Major Diwali Traditions, We Use to Observe On Deepavali (Tihar) Festival?

What are some Diwali traditions?: – Diwali is not just about lighting Diyas and oil lamps, but it has many other things to do. Many traditions and customs are duly linked to the celebration.

Different forms of organization are needed to make this festival worth celebrating. Read on for more information on habits and to better understand the festival.

The word “Diwali” comes from a Sanskrit word that means “a row of lamps”. Therefore, it is the festival that is well known for the light and brightness that spreads everywhere.

It is the party in which, amid all the traditions and customs, fired biscuits and chocolate bombs dominate. Therefore, these vital parts of this festival certainly add a bright atmosphere to the celebration.

Therefore, we can certainly say that the Diwali festival is a Nepali bread festival, therefore it is observed with the utmost devotion and joy.

It is the festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil and the knowledge of darkness. However, many legends are duly associated with this festival, the most common legend being that of the return of Rama to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile.

Krishna’s victory over Narakasura is also another legend associated with the celebration. In the eastern part of Nepal, the festival is celebrated in honor of the victory of the goddess Kali on Bakasura.

Why is the Diwali festival special?

Not only the goddess Kali is invaded by prayers and mantras on Diwali day, but prayers are also offered to the goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.

It is common to believe in all Hindu families that those who offer prayers and bids to Goddess Lakshmi will surely be blessed with prosperity and wealth. Thus, a bid dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi is performed at night on Diwali in all the houses to seek her blessings.

Therefore, this particular festival makes shopping part of this auspicious festival. To give to loved ones, people give themselves to buy, buy clothes or other accessories so that this particular tradition is fully satisfied.

Diwali is also considered a favorable opportunity to buy gold. Rangoli Conceived by a Sanskrit word, “rangoli” refers to a decorative design that is prepared with the help of colors.

The patterns are usually created with materials such as colored rice, dried flour, sand (colored), or even flower petals. During Diwali, people clean houses and decorate courtyards, walls, and entrances with colorful tapestries, towers, and rangoli, destined for the sacred welcome of the Goddess Lakshmi.

Some traditions of Diwali

Nepal is a culturally rich and diverse land with deeply rooted traditions and customs. The colorful and vibrant variety of festivals celebrated here means one virtue or another, from justice to courage in the face of darkness.

A festival so lively and important and celebrated throughout Nepal with great respect is Diwali; The festival symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness.

In northern Nepal, it is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Lord Rama over the evil demon King Ravana and his return home after a 14-year exile, while in the south people celebrate the day to commemorate the victory. of Lord Krishna on Narakasura.

In the eastern states, especially in Bengal, the day is revered as the day when the fierce goddess Kali defeated the demon named Bakasura. Although the reasons for the celebrations may be different, the underlying theme and traditions remain the same.

Here are some of the most fascinating and prevalent traditions of Diwali.

Throwing the dice

According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that playing Diwali Day dice is very auspicious, the reason behind this is the legend that, on this day, once the Goddess Parvati played dice with her husband Lord Shiva he enjoyed the game. carefully.

Over time, the dice have been replaced by cards, and people, often to honor the ancient tradition, organize card parties on this day, in which friends and relatives get together and play friendly bets with limited bets.

Light fireworks and lamps

According to Diwali tradition, the lighting of the house is essential to invite the goddess of fortune to her own home. And the traditional way to do it is to illuminate handmade ground lamps. On Diwali day, these multi-colored lamps are filled with mustard or coconut oil and wick.

Once the prayer ceremonies dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha are completed, these Diyas light up. These exquisite ethnic clay lamps are placed on window sills, doors, and in the darkest corners of the house.

Bursting firecrackers is one of the most cheerful and anticipated traditions of Deepavali. The night sky shines with numerous flashes of firecrackers and its sound resonates throughout the night. It is believed that its sound and light protect evil spirits.

This tradition of Diya lighting is followed once the Lakshmi puja is finished. People start decorating their homes with burning lamps and Diyas. However, there is a symbolic connotation that is duly linked to this particular tradition of lighting lamps, as it symbolizes the release of darkness from the world.

According to mythological stories, it is commonly believed that the people of Ayodhya decorated the entire city with Diyas or lamps the day Lord Rama returned from fourteen years of exile. Therefore, to welcome you home, Diyas and lights were illuminated everywhere and since then this tradition has managed to maintain a strong foothold in the celebration of Diwali.

In addition, another prevailing symbolism is related to the lighting of Diyas, since it is a common opinion that when Diwali falls on a moonless night, the lamps help Goddess Lakshmi reach their families. Therefore, people leave the Diya to burn all night to direct Goddess Lakshmi to their doors.

House cleaning and sanitizing

People from all walks of life begin to clean, repaint and renovate their homes according to their budget. Even people with the greatest economic difficulties will try to keep their homes immaculate during Diwali.

This tradition is based on the belief that Goddess Lakshmi honors only those houses that should be omitted and spam. In addition to cleaning, people also work hard to decorate their homes with ornaments, such as light bulbs, torans, streamers, bright ribbons, etc.

The colorful and vivid traditional motifs, known as rangoli, are designed with great delicacy on the doors with colored dust or flower petals.

Gift Exchange

Presenting Diwali gifts to your friends, family, and acquaintances has become one of Diwali’s most important traditions with each passing year. Traditionally, only boxes of candy were delivered; However, with numerous combinations and combinations of gifts available on the market, from appliances to food baskets, you can present everything under the sun to your loved ones.

On Diwali, people give gifts to partners and employees. Many people still prepare many sweet delicacies in their homes for distribution on this occasion, including Gulab Jamun, Gajar Ka Halwa, Besan Ke Ladoo, etc.

Shopping

The Diwali holiday season is considered very favorable for various financial investments. Dhanteras Day is considered perfect for buying gold and silver coins as well as jewelry.

People also buy various kitchen utensils on this day, especially utensils made of gold, silver, steel, and copper, which are considered good buys on this occasion.

During the five days of the Diwali festivities, the markets are beautifully decorated and filled with the latest gadgets, furniture, clothing, etc., that people not only buy for themselves but also to give away. Furthermore, at this time of year people prefer to buy new buildings and vehicles.

Cult of cattle

Another common tradition observed in some villages is the cult of cattle by their respective farmers. According to this Diwali tradition, farmers generally worship their cattle because they are their main source of wealth and, therefore, consider themselves equal to God.

Mainly in the southern part of Nepal, cows are worshiped on this day because they are considered the incarnation of the Goddess Lakshmi.

The birth of the goddess Lakshmi

On the eve of Diwali, Hindus worship Mahalakshmi with great devotion, as it is believed to be the source of wealth and prosperity. According to Hindu mythology, it is said that on the day of the new moon, when Diwali is celebrated, the goddess Lakshmi emerges from the ocean, during the process of agitation of demons and deities.

This effort was made by them to obtain Amrit (the elixir of immortality). That is why Diwali is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Lakshmi since the day is considered her birth anniversary.

The legend also says that on this day the divine Goddess visits the earth and blesses her devotees with unsurpassed riches. The lamps are lit in all the houses so that the Goddess can easily find her way and fireworks are lit to ward off evil spirits.

The return of Rama

The most important legend of Diwali is that of Lord Rama. Based on the sacred epic of the Ramayana, the Hindus believe that the first Diwali was celebrated by the people of Ayodhya to welcome their beloved prince into his kingdom.

Legend has it that shortly before the coronation, Ram was sentenced to a 14-year exile for fulfilling a promise his father had made to his stepmother. Being a model son, Rama left the kingdom, accompanied by his devoted wife Sita and his faithful brother Laxman.

During these 14 years, Ram faced many difficulties and defeated the powerful demon, King Ravana, and when he returned to Ayodhya on the night of Ashwin’s new moon, his subjects illuminated Diyas in every corner of the kingdom to express their joy. The same tradition continues on the same day until today.

The victory of Lord Krishna

This legend linked to the origin of the Diwali festival usually prevails in southern Nepal. The mythology states that a powerful demon, named Narakasura, was defeated at the hands of Lord Krishna, and to commemorate this occasion, Diwali is celebrated.

It is said that after obtaining the blessings from the gods, Narakasura got drunk on power and caused chaos on earth. He made life miserable for innocent girls, kidnapped them, and enslaved them.

Lord Krishna, accompanied by his wife, fought a bloody battle with the demon and killed him. The 16,000 enslaved women were released and to save their honor, Lord Krishna accepted them as wives. To commemorate this pious occasion, Diwali is celebrated.

The victory of King Bali

This is another fascinating myth that explains the origin of the festival of lights. This legend tells the story of King Bali, who although he was a gentle king but too ambitious. There came a time when he ruled the entire earth, but, dissatisfied with him, he even looked at the dominant sky.

The gods became insecure about their growing influence and turned to Lord Vishnu for protection. Therefore, Vishnu took the form of a dwarf priest and visited the court of Bali and asked for the gift of the land he could cover with his three steps.

Once Bali promised, Lord began to increase in size and became so large that, with his two steps, he covered the earth and the sky, and, therefore, in the third step, there was no more space.

Therefore, to keep his word, Bali offered his head and when Lord put his foot on Bali’s head, he was pushed into the darkness of the subway. However, touched by Bali’s commitment to his promise, Lord Vishnu gave him a gift from the eternal lamp of knowledge and that once a year he could come to the surface of the earth and illuminate it with Diyas.

The return of Pandava

Another interesting legend of Diwali is found in the greatest Hindu epic of ‘Mahabharata’. The five Pandavas – Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva lost all their worldly possessions in a dice game at the hands of the intelligent Kauravas.

When they had nothing else to bet on, they were punished with a 13-year exile. During this time, the brothers experienced innumerable difficulties and returned to their kingdom on the day of “Kartik Amavasya”. His faithful subjects were delighted with his return and lit numerous earth lamps throughout the kingdom to welcome his beloved kings.

Coronation of King Vikramaditya Some people believe that the first Diwali was not celebrated in ancient times, but was celebrated during the reign of one of the greatest Hindu kings, Vikramaditya. It is said that on the eve of his coronation, the subjects of his vast kingdom would light earth lamps to welcome the new king on the throne and show his sincere happiness.

Since then, the tradition of lighting Diya in “Kartik Amavasya” has continued.

Diwali traditions on various days

The Diwali Festival reminds us of the festive season of joy, splendor, enthusiasm, and happiness. It is the festival of lights and is celebrated with great enthusiasm by all Nepalese around the world.

The uniqueness of the festival is that it is celebrated for five days and each of them has a special meaning and importance. Each of the five days is based on five different philosophies, with a special or ideal thought every day.

First day

The first day of Diwali is called Dhanteras, Dhanwantari Triodasi, or Dhantryaodashi, which falls on the thirteenth day of the month of Ashwin. On this day, Lord Dhanwantari left the ocean with Ayurveda for humanity. This day marks the beginning of Diwali celebrations.

On this day at sunset, sweets are offered during the time of worship to Lord Yama (the Lord of Death) to protect himself from premature death. It is made mainly near a Tulsi tree (basil) or any other sacred tree.

Second day

The second day is called Narak Chaturdasi. It is the celebration of Choti Diwali. On this day, Lord Krishna killed the demon Narakasur and freed the world from the power of evil.

Third day

The third and most important day of Diwali is marked with Lakshmi Puja. It is the main day of the celebration. On this day the goddess Laxmi is worshiped.

The entire Hindu family cleans their home and themselves and joins their families and relatives with the offering of the divine goddess Lakshmi to achieve the blessings of wealth and prosperity.

Diwali marks the last day of the financial year in traditional Hindu affairs and businessmen interpret Chopda Pujan on this day in the new account books. Any new business or company begins with the Diwali offer.

Fourth day

The fourth day of Diwali is called Padwa or VarshaPratipada and Govardhan Puja, which marks the coronation of King Vikramaditya and Vikaram-Samvat started from this day Padwa.

On this day, Govardhan Pooja is performed. Many thousands of years ago, Lord Krishna had Govardhan Pooja perform for the people of Vraja. From that moment on, every year the Hindus worship Govardhan. This day is also seen as Annakoot and prayers are offered in the temples.

Fifth day

The fifth day of Diwali is celebrated as Bhai Duj or Bhratri Dooj. This is the day after the execution of Goverdhan Pooja and normally two days after Diwali. The rituals are more or less like Raksha Bandhan, where the sisters pray for the welfare of their brothers.

Diwali is, in fact, one of the most anticipated and celebrated Hindu festivals among the nth festivals that fill the festive calendar of the multicultural country of Nepal.

Nepal is part of one of the oldest civilizations in the world and Hinduism is announced as one of the oldest religions in the world; Therefore, their customs, rituals, and traditions are unique. Similarly, festivals held in Nepal are part of its rich cultural heritage and each festival has a deeply rooted meaning.

The Diwali festival, which celebrates the triumph of the light of knowledge over the darkness of ignorance, is such an important festival, celebrated throughout Nepal. The origins of this fabulous festival date back to several interesting Hindu mythological legends.

The most important legends related to Diwali are listed in the following lines.

Other traditions

Therefore, to obtain a correct understanding of the tradition and customs of this festival, a pandit is duly consulted and informs devotees about the times and rituals that should be considered.

The general things necessary for a Diwali puja are silver and gold coins, superiors, raw rice, paan leaves, kumkum for the application of tilak, mithai (Nepali sweets), camphor, agarbattis (incense sticks). ), nuts (almonds, cashews), flower petals, and the Lakshmi-Ganesh icon.

The ritual of the bidding is performed at night when small clay Diyas are lit to ward off the shadows of evil spirits. Bhajans are sung in praise of the goddess and sweets are offered.

How is Diwali celebrated?

The festival is characterized by great fireworks, to commemorate the celebrations that, according to legend, took place on the return of Rama when the locals launched their version of fireworks. Those who celebrate the festival also light traditional clay Diyas (candles) and decorate their homes with colorful rangoli artworks, motifs created on the floor with rice or colored powder.

During Diwali, families, and friends share sweets and gifts, and there is also a strong conviction to give food and goods to those in need. It is also traditional for houses to be cleaned and for new clothes to be worn at the time of the festival.

What do you eat during Diwali?

The food most associated with the festival is Nepali sweets, available in various colors and flavors. However, the celebration presents many mouth-watering, tasty, and sweet dishes.

Unlike the traditional roast turkey at Christmas, every family that celebrates Diwali will probably have its favorite food for the festival, and the food will often have a central theme during the celebrations.

In this way, one of the greatest festivals of Hindus ( in some other religions as well) is celebrated with a blast of prosperity, peace, and joy. The various traditional ways followed by us during Diwali show our traditional civilization and concern towards various festivals according to our various cultures and traditions.

By Abhishek Jha