History & traditions
Why Diwali is celebrated — the stories behind the festival of lights
Light over darkness
Diwali, or Deepavali — 'a row of lamps' — is one of India's most widely celebrated festivals. It falls on Amavasya, the new-moon night of the lunar month of Kartik (in the amanta calendar; Ashvin in some regional calendars), usually in October or November. Across traditions, its central idea is the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. There is no single story: different regions and communities celebrate different events, and many families keep more than one.
Rama's return to Ayodhya
In much of North India, Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshmana after fourteen years of exile and the defeat of Ravana, as told in the Ramayana. According to tradition, the people of Ayodhya lit rows of lamps to welcome them home on a moonless night. Today Ayodhya marks Deepotsav with lakhs of diyas on the banks of the Sarayu.
Krishna, Narakasura, Lakshmi and Kali
In much of South India and parts of the West, the main day is Naraka Chaturdashi, celebrating Krishna's (and in some versions Satyabhama's) victory over the demon Narakasura; many people take an early-morning oil bath and burst crackers before dawn. Across most of India, the new-moon night is dedicated to Lakshmi Puja, when the goddess of prosperity is welcomed into clean, lit homes, and traders traditionally open new account books. In Bengal, Odisha and Assam the same night is Kali Puja, honouring the goddess Kali.
Jain and Sikh observances
For Jains, Diwali marks the nirvana (moksha) of Lord Mahavira, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara, at Pawapuri in Bihar, traditionally dated to 527 BCE, and lamps are lit to remember the light of his knowledge. For Sikhs, the same season is Bandi Chhor Divas, remembering the release of Guru Hargobind Ji from Gwalior Fort, along with 52 imprisoned kings, according to Sikh tradition. The Golden Temple in Amritsar is lit up and fireworks are held. Many Hindu, Jain and Sikh families also visit relatives, exchange sweets and gifts, and light their homes on the same nights, so the festival is shared across communities.
Five days of celebration
In many regions Diwali is a five-day festival. It begins with Dhanteras, when people buy gold, silver or new utensils; continues with Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) and the main Lakshmi Puja night; then Govardhan Puja or Annakut, remembering Krishna lifting Govardhan hill, which is also Bali Pratipada in Maharashtra and Karnataka and the New Year in Gujarat; and ends with Bhai Dooj, when sisters pray for their brothers. Homes are cleaned and painted, rangolis are drawn at the doorway, sweets are made and shared, and families gather from far away.
Travelling home for Diwali
Because so many people travel home in the same week, Diwali is one of the busiest and most expensive times to fly in India. Book six to eight weeks ahead, compare nearby airports, and keep an eye on air quality in North India after the festival.