Diwali or Deepavali festival is known as Festival of Lights.Diwali is Five day festival.Diwali is celebrated on a grand scale throughout India.It comes a day before or on amavashya in the month of kartik(October-November).Here is Diwali festival celebration in Different Parts of India.Diwali Celebration in North India
Diwali is celebrated in North India for five days.
Day One-Dhanteras
A Part from fireworks and new clothes, the people of North India buy gold and silver vessels, ornaments, etc.. On Dhanteras.It is the day of Kuber and considered auspicious to buy some tangible goods.Day two-Narakachaturdashi (Kali Chaudas)
On Narakachaturdashi, only an oil bath is taken in the morning(not early morning) and the day passes on as just another day without any excitement.In such an eventuality, people celebrate Diwali on the next day only.
Day Three- Lakshmi Pujan
The actual festival of Diwali is on the evening of the fourteenth day of dark fortnight in the month of Kartik.The celebration starts with the performance of a puja to Goddess Lakshmi late in the evening at about 7:30 pm after Chaturdashi Tithi is over and Amavashya starts.All Sweets and snakes specially prepared or purchased for the occasion are offered during the puja.Even the new dresses are kept in the puja room and after invoking the blessings of the family distributes the clothes to others who accept them and offer respects to the elders.Earthen lamps(diyas) are lighted and kept in rows on the compound walls, terrace walls and many more.These are nowadays supplemented by electrict(serial) lamps or candles.
All members of the family then come out in the open and start bursting crackers for about an hour or so until the stock lasts.Then they take sweets, eat sumptuous food and greet their relative, neighbours and friends.Exchanging of sweets and gifts is an indispensable part of Diwali.
Day Four-Govardhan Puja
As the name itself suggests, the fourth day of Diwali is devoted to Govardhan Puja(worship of Lord Govardhan Parvat).Legend has it that Lord Shri Krishna once performed the Goverdhan puja along with the people of Vraja for their protection from heavy rains.Since then, it has become a tradition for the Hindus to worship Govardhan Parvat to honour that first Puja performed by Lord Krishna on this day.
Day Five-Bhaiyadooj
On Bhaiyadooj(Feast to Brothers), women generally give gofts to their brothers.Brothers and their families are invited for lunch.With a lot of rejoicing and gaiety, Bhaiyadooj marks the end of Diwali celebration.
Diwali in Celebration South India
In the South, Diwali is known as Narakchaturdashi and is commonly referred to as Diwali.The term 'Diwali' means a row of lamps.It was the day Lord Krishna defeated and killed the demon Narakasura.This day commemorates and celebrates that victory.
Celebrations starts on the eve of the day, with grand dinner for the member of the family.It is even more elaborate if sons-in -law join the family.Onion sambar and fried potatoes are a must for the dinner.Children brust crackers in the evening and eat sweets to their heart's content.
People wake up early on the morning of the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Kartik, and eldest male or female member of the family, first takes a bath and perform a simplepuja.There is no specific god who is invoked on the occasion, unlike in the North, where Lakshmi Puja is performed.At the most, Lord Krishna will be worshipped.Generally, this is like daily puja with the only difference that new clothes, crackers, sweets and etc., are also offered.Further, the oil which is applied for 'oil bath is lightly boile with certain herbs and is included in the naivedyam items.Naturally, the shikakai powder also finds a place there.What is more, a homemade herbal medicine called Deepavali marundhu or lahium is one of the items offered to God as naivedyam.
After this puja is over, the eldest member applies this oil to other member applies this oil to other members one by one.For this, a specially decorated wooden plank is placed, preferably in the puja room itself, on which the member sits facing east.Normally, warm water is used for the bath because it is rainy season in the South and the weather is cold by normal standerds of the region.
The next ceremony is distribution of new clothes, again by the eldest member, to those who finish their bathing. The eldest member is the last person to take the oil bath.Once the puja over, all the members will first eat a spoon full of lahiyam followed by sweets.Then they all rush out to burst crackers and fireworks.As the fireworks are delightful only in the dark, people hurriedly bathe, eat one or two sweets and start bursting crackers even at 4:00 am.In olden days, there used to be competition among the teenagers as to two started the fireworks earliest.Now-a-days, the government has enacted law to curb the noise menace and has put restrictions on the timings of bursting crackers. A heavy breakfast and sumptuous follows.
