Diwali 2022

Photo: jyothi kumar / Unsplash

This year, the celebration of Diwali, also called the Festival of Lights, takes place from October 22 to October 26. The main day of the Festival is today, October 24.

Diwali - which coincides with harvest and new year celebrations for many - is a festival of new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

The Festival of Lights is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains all over the world, with each religion connecting Diwali to different stories and historical events. Hindus, for instance, celebrate the return of Rama and Sita to Ayodhya after their 14-year exile, and the day when Mother Goddess Durga destroyed a demon called Mahisha.

Sikhs celebrate the sixth guru's, Hargobind Singh's release from prison in 1619, though they already celebrated the festival before this date. Jains celebrate the moment when the founder of Jainism, Lord Mahavira, reached a state of eternal bliss called Moksha or Nirvana.

During Diwali, many lights and oil lamps are lit on the streets and in houses. Fireworks are regular parts of the celebration, and people visit their families and have feasts together. The Hindu goddess Lakshmi is worshipped to bring wealth and blessings for the new year.