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When is Diwali 2024? What to know about Hindu festival of lights

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4 weeks ago

November 1, 2024

When is Diwali 2024? What to know about Hindu festival of lights

Gentle up these lamps and convey out the glint, it is time for Diwali.

Tens of millions of Hindus and South Asians around the globe are celebrating the Competition of Lights with events, dinners, meals and prayers beginning Thursday.

“Probably the most-celebrated Hindu festivals, Diwali, or Deepavali, commemorates the victory of excellent over evil in the course of the course of 5 days,” the Hindu American Basis says. “The phrase refers to rows of diyas — or clay lamps — that are put throughout houses and locations of worship.”

This is what you’ll want to find out about Diwali.

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A devotee prepares to place oil lamps at a religious ceremony during the Diwali festival at Ponnambalavaneshwaram Hindu temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka November 12,2023.

Diwali the ‘Competition of Lights’

The phrase Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit phrase Deepavali, which suggests “row of lights,” that devotees mild exterior their houses in the course of the competition to characterize the sunshine that guards in opposition to religious darkness and symbolize good over evil.

“The sunshine from these lamps symbolizes the illumination inside all of us, which might overcome ignorance, represented by darkness,” the Hindu American Basis says.

The lights are additionally meant to honor and invite the goddess Lakshmi, who’s related to agriculture and abundance, to enter and bless their houses, temples, and different public areas as a result of Hindu perception holds that Lakshmi can not enter a darkish area, in accordance with Smithsonian’s Nationwide Museum of Asian Artwork.

The competition, that’s unfold over a interval of 5 days, additionally marks the start of the brand new 12 months within the Hindu calendar, and celebrates the 12 months’s final rice-crop harvest, as per JSTOR.

For Sikhs, in the meantime, Diwali celebrates sixth Guru, who serves as a supply of inspiration and an emblem for freedom. The guru was in jail and refused to depart jail with out the opposite 52 political prisoners being launched. The day of Diwali celebrates his launch, together with the opposite political prisoners he fought for. Whereas the explanation behind the celebrations could also be totally different, to commemorate the competition, Sikhs will even go to the Gurdwara to wish and meditate, mild diyas and set off fireworks.

Initially a non secular occasion, Diwali has developed over time right into a festive event, very like Christmas and Hannukah, with folks of all communities and faith becoming a member of in to have fun.

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When is Diwali?

Diwali is widely known in the course of the Hindu month of Kartik, which usually falls between the center of October and the center of November. This 12 months, Diwali falls on Oct. 31, in accordance with the Hindu American Basis’s vacation calendar.

The competition is widely known over 5 days and dhanteras, the preparation interval main as much as the height of the Diwali on Oct. 31, started on Oct. 29.

How is Diwali celebrated?

Diwali celebrations start by devotees deep cleansing their houses and environment to organize for the goddess’ arrival, as per Smithsonian. The following day, they embellish utilizing clay lamps, candles and different lights and draw colourful patterns of flowers, powder, rice or sand on the ground, a creative apply known as rangoli meant to carry good luck.

The principle celebration takes place on the night time of the third day, which marks the top of the Hindu calendar 12 months. Devotees costume up of their best outfits, make choices to Lakshmi, mild fireworks and sparklers, and revel in a candy feast.

Over the following two days the celebrations proceed as folks host gatherings and go to household and pals to have fun the brand new 12 months.

For Hindus, Diwali can also be a time for dana (charitable giving) and seva (selfless service), in accordance with the Hindu American Basis.

The place are you able to have fun Diwali in Michigan?

As globally, Hindu and South Asian American communities throughout Michigan are celebrating the Competition of Lights this week. This is a take a look at some native occasions to mark Diwali:

Sri Lakshmi Puja, dinner and fireworks at Sri Balaji Temple of Nice Lakes in West Bloomfield from 6-8 p.m. Thursday.
Diwali Laxmi Pooja on the Bharatiya Temple of Lansing in Haslett from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Diwali 2024 at Northern Michigan College in Marquette from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2.
Arya Samaj of Suburban Detroit’s Deepavali 2024 on the Troy Group Middle in Troy from 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9.
Diwali Dhamaka at 29 Novi in Novi on Friday, Nov. 15, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Attendees should be 21 years outdated or above and $15 tickets are on the market on-line.