Diwali: Role of Beliefs And Traditions in Indian Culture

The festival of Diwali, which is full of joy and happiness, is now just a few days away. On this occasion, cleaning and shopping work is in full swing in every house. Marked on the new moon day of Kartik month, this amazing festival shines with the glow of countless lights on the dark night. While Diwali is celebrated with great pomp across the country, it has special significance in Hinduism.

According to Hindu belief, on this day Lord Rama got the opportunity to return to Ayodhya after beating Ravana and completing his 14 years of exile. To greet him, the individuals of Ayodhya lit ghee lamps and honored him. Due to this happiness, the tradition of celebrating Diwali started in India. Most of us have been hearing the same story and believe that this is why Diwali is celebrated all over India. Come, let us tell you about the various beliefs and methods related to celebrating Diwali.

Diwali in North India

North India has the areas of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Delhi. The festival of Diwali is associated with the victory saga of Lord Rama and the new tradition started by Shri Krishna. It is celebrated for five days in North India.

• The first day is called Dhanteras, and it is associated with Kuber, the god of wealth, and Lord Dhanvantari.  

• On the second day, which is called Narak Chaturdashi or Chhoti Diwali, Shri Krishna killed the demon Narakasura.

• The third day is Badi Diwali, which is associated with the return of Mother Sita and Shri Ram to Ayodhya. On this day, people wear new clothes and worship Lord Ganesha and Lakshmi in their homes in the evening, after which they light lamps and burst crackers.  

• The fourth day is Govardhan Puja, which is related to the pastimes of Shri Krishna.

• The fifth day is celebrated as Bhai Dooj.

Why are Ganesha and Lakshmi Worshipped Instead of Ram?

It is natural that when Diwali is celebrated to celebrate the return of Ram to Ayodhya, then Ram, Sita, and Lakshman should be worshipped on that day. But in North India, the worship of Ganesha and Lakshmi has special significance. The reason for this is that according to Hindu religion, when Goddess Lakshmi appeared from the churning of the ocean and went to Vaikuntha and garlanded Lord Narayana, then the people of Vaikuntha celebrated the marriage of Lakshmi-Narayan by lighting lamps in their respective homes. Later, when these Vaikuntha residents came to the mortal world, they started celebrating Diwali. In this way, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped on the day of Diwali. The importance of worshipping Lord Ganesha lies in the belief that along with knowledge comes wealth. Therefore, first Lord Ganesha is worshipped, and then Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped.

Diwali in South India

In South India, there is a unique practice on Diwali which is named ‘Thalai Diwali’. In this tradition, the newly married couple goes to the girl’s house, where they are given a grand welcome and the elders give them blessings and gifts. After this, they light a firecracker on the auspicious occasion of Diwali and all together go to the temple to have darshan of the Lord.

Additionally, in Andhra Pradesh, there is a musical rendition of Harikatha, and clay idols of Satyabhama are worshipped. In Karnataka, the first day is Ashvija Krishna Chaturdashi (also known as Naraka Chaturdashi). And the second day is celebrated as Padayami Bali. On this day, stories related to King Bali are celebrated and women make rangoli by plastering the house with cow dung and decorating it with lamps.

Diwali in Eastern India

Eastern India, which includes West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand, has some unique Diwali traditions. In West Bengal, the worship of Goddess Kali has special significance during Diwali. Here people worship Maa Kali in their homes and temples and offer sweets, pulses, rice, and fish as Prasad.

On the occasion of Diwali in Odisha, individuals conduct a practice called “Kauriya Kathi”. In this, people worship their dead ancestors and burn jute sticks to seek their blessings. Lakshmi, Ganesha, and Kali are worshiped here. In Bihar and Jharkhand, traditional songs and dances along with puja have special significance during Diwali.

Diwali in Western India

Western India includes Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Dadra Nagar Haveli Daman and Diu. Like North India, in West India too the festival of Diwali is celebrated for five days, but in Maharashtra, this festival lasts only for four days.

• The first day is called “Vasur Baras”, in which the cow and calf are idolized.

• “Dhanteras” is celebrated on the second day, in which the business class worships the ledgers.

• On the third day, there is “Narak Chaturdashi”, in which there is a tradition of taking a bath before sunrise and going to the temple with the family.

• Diwali is celebrated on the fourth day, in which Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped in the evening. Traditional dishes like Karanji, Chakli, Laddu, and Sev are prepared on this day.

• Diwali is also celebrated with pomp and show in Goa, where the emphasis is on traditional dance and music.

Diwali of Central India

Central India mainly consists of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where the festival of Diwali is celebrated for five days. There is special enthusiasm for Diwali even in the tribal community here. On this day everyone dances and performs the tradition of donating lamps with each other. In Central India, there is a tradition of making Mandana instead of Rangoli, and houses are decorated with lamps and peacock feathers.

However, it would be surprising to know that when the entire country is celebrating Diwali, there is no mention of it in the rural areas of the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. There is no tradition of celebrating Diwali among the tribals here. Tribal communities living in urban areas have started celebrating Diwali in recent times, but the beliefs and traditions of rural areas persist.

Conclusion 

Thus, we saw that the festival of Diwali is celebrated in diverse ways and beliefs in various regions of India. Despite this diversity, certain things like decorating the home with lamps, giving gifts to family and friends, and spending time with loved ones are common across religions and places. This festival of Diwali symbolizes the victory of truth over untruth and inspires us to move from darkness to light. 

Also read: Karwa Chauth: A Celebration of Love, Devotion, and Tradition in India