My favourite festival is Diwali, the festival of lights. Diwali is one of the most beautiful and important festivals celebrated in India. I like Diwali not only because of the new clothes, delicious faral, colourful rangoli and beautiful diyas, but also because this festival has a deep religious, social, cultural and seasonal importance.
For me, Diwali is a festival that brings light into our homes as well as into our minds. It teaches us that light represents goodness, knowledge and hope, while darkness represents ignorance and negativity.In Maharashtra, Diwali is celebrated according to the Hindu lunar calendar and its important days fall mainly from the end of Ashwin month to the beginning of Kartik month.
The traditional Diwali period begins with Dhanatrayodashi, followed by Narak Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Pujan on Ashwin Amavasya, Balipratipada or Diwali Padwa on Kartik Shukla Pratipada and Bhau Beej on Kartik Shukla Dwitiya. Some traditions also include Vasu Baras before these days. Therefore, Diwali is not just one day but a series of holy days, and every day has its own meaning and tradition.The first important day is Dhanatrayodashi, commonly called Dhanteras.
The word Dhan means wealth and Trayodashi means the thirteenth lunar day. This day is associated with prosperity, health and well-being. In Hindu tradition, Dhanvantari, the divine physician, is remembered on Dhanteras. Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kubera are also associated with wealth and prosperity in Diwali traditions. Kubera is traditionally regarded as the treasurer of the gods, while Lakshmi is regarded as the goddess of wealth, prosperity and abundance. Therefore, people pray for not only money but also the wisdom to use wealth properly.
There are several Puranic traditions associated with Goddess Lakshmi. One of the most famous is the story of the Samudra Manthan, or churning of the cosmic ocean. According to Hindu mythology, many divine treasures emerged from the ocean during the churning, and Goddess Lakshmi appeared from it. She chose Lord Vishnu as her consort. This story is one of the reasons Lakshmi is deeply associated with prosperity, abundance and auspiciousness. Lord Kubera, on the other hand, is traditionally known as the guardian of wealth and the treasurer of the gods.
The worship of Lakshmi and Kubera during Diwali therefore expresses the wish for prosperity, financial stability and responsible use of wealth.The second important day is Narak Chaturdashi, which is also known as Choti Diwali. It is traditionally associated with the defeat of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna. The story represents the victory of good over evil.
In Maharashtra, an important tradition of this morning is the Abhyanga Snan, in which people wake up early, apply oil to the body and take a ceremonial bath before sunrise. I feel that this tradition also makes Diwali special because it encourages us to begin the festival with cleanliness, freshness and discipline.From the point of view of human physiology, we should not claim that an oil bath has magical or medically proven effects. However, bathing, personal hygiene and maintaining a regular morning routine can certainly contribute to cleanliness and a feeling of freshness. The traditional practice also gives people time to slow down and begin the festival peacefully. Similarly, adequate sleep, moderate eating and avoiding excessive exposure to smoke and noise are important for our health during festivals.
The most important evening for many families is Lakshmi Pujan. It is performed on Ashwin Amavasya, which is the new-moon day of the Diwali period. Homes are thoroughly cleaned and decorated with rangoli, flowers and lamps. People believe that Goddess Lakshmi visits clean and well-maintained homes and blesses them with prosperity. In Maharashtra, families worship Goddess Lakshmi along with Lord Ganesha and also worship their business accounts, workplaces or instruments of livelihood. This shows that prosperity is connected not only with money but also with hard work, wisdom and good fortune.
Diwali also has an important connection with agriculture and rural life. India has traditionally been an agricultural society, and festivals have often been connected with the changing seasons and agricultural activities. Diwali comes after the monsoon season, when agricultural activities and the availability of seasonal produce shape rural life in many parts of India.
The festival therefore provides an opportunity to express gratitude for prosperity, food, cattle, land, work and the resources that support human life. However, Diwali should not be described as a single harvest festival throughout India because agricultural seasons and Diwali traditions differ across regions.
The agricultural connection can also be seen in the way people traditionally value cattle, food grains and household resources. In some regional traditions, animals and agricultural tools receive special respect during the festive period. This reminds me that the prosperity we pray for does not come only from money.
Farmers, workers, animals, soil, water and nature all contribute to the food and resources that make our lives possible.The next important day is Balipratipada, also called Diwali Padwa. It falls on Kartik Shukla Pratipada. In Maharashtra, this day has special importance for married couples and family relationships. It is also connected with the story of King Bali. According to Hindu tradition, King Bali was a generous and powerful ruler, and Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of Vamana and asked him for three steps of land. The story is associated with humility, devotion, generosity and the relationship between power and righteousness.
Diwali Padwa is also traditionally regarded as an auspicious day for beginning a new financial or business year in some communities.The last important day of the traditional Diwali sequence is Bhau Beej, or Bhai Dooj. It celebrates the loving relationship between brothers and sisters. The sister applies tilak to her brother and prays for his well-being, while the brother expresses his affection and support for his sister. I like this day because it shows that Diwali is not only about worship and wealth but also about relationships.
Another reason I love Diwali is the beautiful atmosphere created by diyas. The small earthen lamps look simple, but they carry a very meaningful message. A single lamp can remove darkness from a room, just as one good thought can remove negativity from our mind. Lighting diyas therefore becomes a symbolic reminder that we should bring knowledge, kindness, hope and positivity into our lives.Diwali also affects our daily routine.
During the festival, people wake up early, clean their houses, meet relatives, prepare traditional food and spend time together. Traditional foods such as chakli, karanji, ladoo, chivda, anarse and other faral items are prepared in Maharashtra. These foods are part of our cultural heritage and make the festival memorable. At the same time, we should remember that eating large quantities of sweets and fried foods continuously can be unhealthy.
I believe the best way is to enjoy traditional food in reasonable portions and balance it with normal meals, water, physical activity and adequate sleep.Today, celebrating Diwali responsibly is more important than ever. Firecrackers are a traditional part of Diwali for many people, but excessive fireworks produce air pollution and noise. Air pollution can affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, and children, older adults and people with existing health problems can be particularly vulnerable. Therefore, I feel that Diwali should be celebrated with fewer and safer fireworks, preferably during permitted hours, while giving greater importance to diyas, rangoli, family gatherings and cultural activities.
For me, the best Diwali is one in which everyone can participate. We should visit relatives and friends, exchange sweets, help people who are less fortunate, donate food or clothes, and make sure that elderly people, small children, animals and people who are sensitive to loud sounds are not disturbed unnecessarily. We should also avoid wasting food and should dispose of waste responsibly.
Diwali teaches us many lessons. It teaches us that darkness cannot defeat light, that good ultimately has greater value than evil, that wealth should be accompanied by wisdom and responsibility, and that happiness becomes greater when it is shared.
The five important days of Diwali beautifully connect religion, mythology, family relationships, seasonal changes, traditional occupations and social life.That is why Diwali is my favourite festival. I love the early morning Abhyanga Snan, the smell of homemade faral, the colourful rangoli, the glow of diyas, Lakshmi Pujan, new clothes, meeting relatives and the happiness of being together with my family. But above everything else, I love the message of Diwali. It reminds me to remove the darkness of negativity from my life and to choose knowledge, kindness, honesty and hope.
I believe that the true meaning of Diwali is not just lighting a lamp outside our home, but lighting a lamp inside our heart and spreading that light to others.Diwali is therefore much more than a festival of lights. It is a celebration of faith, prosperity, agriculture, family, culture, relationships and new beginnings. If we celebrate it with devotion, happiness and responsibility, we can preserve our traditions while also protecting our health and environment. For me, that is the real beauty of Diwali.
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