when is diwali every year when is diwali every year

Calendar Of Deepavali Holidays 2022.We present you with all the dates Diwali will have from 2022 till 2040. Diwali, also known as Deepawali, is the Hindu festival of lights. They celebrate by lighting lamps, decorating temples and monasteries, and worshipping the Buddha. Diwali is also an important festival in Jainism. Shopkeepers and small operations perform puja rituals in their office premises. It's observed on the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. iStockphoto.com/SoumenNath What Do People Do? Choti Diwali is the major shopping day for festive, Annakut community meals (left), Krishna holding, A sister ritually feeding her brother on Bhai Duj-Diwali, Dhanteras, Dhanatrayodashi, Yama Deepam (Day 1), Naraka Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas, Chhoti Diwali, Hanuman Puja, Roop Chaudas, Yama Deepam (Day 2), Annakut, Balipratipada (Padwa), Govardhan Puja (Day 4), Bhai Duj, Bhau-Beej, Vishwakarma Puja (Day 5). In other regions, parents invite a newly married daughter, or son, together with their spouses to a festive meal and give them gifts. Answer (1 of 6): Hindus do not follow date system. Diwali is usually celebrated twenty days after the Vijayadashami festival, with Dhanteras, or the regional equivalent, marking the first day of the festival when celebrants prepare by cleaning their homes and making decorations on the floor, such as rangolis. Corrections? Homes are decorated, and floors inside and out are covered with rangoli, consisting of elaborate designs made of colouredrice, sand, or flower petals. The date of Deepavali on the new moon makes it the darkest night in the month of Kartik, when the nights are cold, long, and dark: all the lights make that darkness easier to bear. [143] According to Kinsley, the ritual use of cow dung, a common fertiliser, is an agricultural motif and a celebration of its significance to annual crop cycles. Hindus celebrating Diwali in India. [184], During Diwali, the levels of suspended particulate matter increase. [109][133] According to Rachel Fell McDermott, a scholar of South Asian, particular Bengali, studies, in Bengal during Navaratri (Dussehra elsewhere in India) the Durga puja is the main focus, although in the eastern and north eastern states the two are synonymous, but on Diwali the focus is on the puja dedicated to Kali. This year, Diwali 2022 begins on Monday, October 24, 2022 (24/10/2022), and finishes on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 (26/10/2022). The day of Diwali itself falls on November 4. [61], Islamic historians of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire era also mentioned Diwali and other Hindu festivals. Hit ctrl+D to bookmark this page, and share this page with your friends. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Ths festival of lights, i.e. [64][65][d][e], Publications from the British colonial era also made mention of Diwali, such as the note on Hindu festivals published in 1799 by Sir William Jones, a philologist known for his early observations on Sanskrit and Indo-European languages. According to McDermott, while the Durga Puja is the largest Bengali festival and it can be traced to the 16th-century or earlier, the start of Kali puja tradition on Diwali is traceable to no earlier than about the mid-18th-century during the reign of Raja Krishnacandra Ray. This year, it begins in the first week of November from 2nd-6th. The devotion and dedication of Hanuman pleased Rama so much that he blessed Hanuman to be worshipped before him. Cook, Sharell. Diwali, also spelled Divali, one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, lasting for five days from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. Some suggest he lived in the 5th-century BCE contemporaneously with the Buddha. The exact dates change each year but this year, Diwali falls on Monday 24 October. This year, Diwali will be celebrated on October 24. [185] When these compounds pollute the air, they increase the risk of cancer in people. [12] According to Goldstein, these are then shaped into various forms, such as laddus, barfis, halwa, kachoris, shrikhand, and sandesh, rolled and stuffed delicacies, such as karanji, shankarpali, maladu, susiyam, pottukadalai. Diwali is also known as the 'Festival of Light' because it is celebrated using lights, fireworks and lanterns in private homes and public places. [43], The artisan Hindu and Sikh community celebrates the fourth day as the Vishwakarma puja day. Unlike some other festivals, the Hindus typically do not fast during the five-day long Diwali including Lakshmi Pujan, rather they feast and share the bounties of the season at their workplaces, community centres, temples, and homes. Das, Subhamoy. [140] According to Handelman and Shulman, as quoted by Pintchman, this legend is a Hindu metaphor for the cosmic process for creation and dissolution of the world through the masculine destructive power, as represented by Shiva, and the feminine procreative power, represented by Parvati, where twelve reflects the number of months in the cyclic year, while thirty are the number of days in its lunisolar month. It is observed on the 15th day of the 8th month (the month of Kartik) in India's calendar. For the Jain community, the festival commemorates the enlightenment and liberation (moksha) of Mahavira, the most recent of the Jain Tirthankaras, from the cycle of life and death (samsara). Diwali celebrations can last for about five days. They install diyas, small earthen oil-filled lamps that they light up for the next five days, near Lakshmi and Ganesha iconography. During the festival, diyas are lit and placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses and set adrift on rivers and streams. [121] It is also celebrated as Roop Chaudas in some North Indian households, where women bathe before sunrise, while lighting a Diya (lamp) in the bath area, they believe it helps enhance their beauty it is a fun ritual that young girls enjoy as part of festivities. It's observed on the 15th day of the month. While different historical events are observed in different regions and by different faiths, Diwali represents the triumph of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance for all the cultures that celebrate it. In 2022, Diwali falls on October 24th which is a new moon day or Amavasya. This year's date of celebration starts November 14, 2020. [12] Chhoti Diwali is also a day for visiting friends, business associates and relatives, and exchanging gifts. It's believed that on this day the Goddess Lakshmi, often associated with wealth, abundance and good fortune, visits people's homes and fulfils their desires. Diwali usually falls in October or November. Residents of Amritsar lit lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion. [116][114] Women and children decorate doorways within homes and offices with rangolis, colourful designs made from rice flour, flower petals, colored rice or colored sand,[23] while the boys and men decorate the roofs and walls of family homes, markets, and temples and string up lights and lanterns. But when Diwali occurs in the calendar changes every year. [58] The Venetian merchant and traveler Niccol de' Conti visited India in the early 15th-century and wrote in his memoir, "on another of these festivals they fix up within their temples, and on the outside of the roofs, an innumerable number of oil lamps which are kept burning day and night" and that the families would gather, "clothe themselves in new garments", sing, dance and feast. The common celebratory practices are known as the festival of light, however there are minor differences from state to state in India. "When Is Diwali in 2021, 2022 and 2023?" [116], On Yama Deepam (also known as Yama Dipadana or Jam ke Diya), Hindus light a diya, ideally made of wheat flour and filled with sesame oil, that faces south in the back of their homes. People often think of Diwali as a Hindu festival, but it is also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains . This year, Diwali or Deepavali will take place on October 24. Diwali falls in either October or November each year, depending on the cycle of the moon. [173], Diwali was first celebrated in the White House by George W. Bush in 2003 and its religious and historical significance was officially recognized by the United States Congress in 2007. [143], The last day of the festival, the second day of the bright fortnight of Kartik, is called Bhai Duj (literally "brother's day"[146]), Bhau Beej, Bhai Tilak or Bhai Phonta. Diwali is celebrated for almost five days consecutively. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Although most important for Hindus, the festival is also observed by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. [168], Diwali has increasingly attracted cultural exchanges, becoming occasions for politicians and religious leaders worldwide to meet Hindu or Indian origin citizens, diplomatic staff or neighbours. These two festivals likely developed in tandem over their recent histories, states McDermott. [43][82] Along with Lakshmi, who is representative of Vaishnavism, Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Parvati and Shiva of Shaivism tradition, is remembered as one who symbolises ethical beginnings and the remover of obstacles. The Diwali-related inscription is the 4th inscription and it includes the year Vikrama Era 1268 (c. 1211 CE). Diwali, which is celebrated on different dates each year as it follows the lunar calendar, will begin on October 24 this year and last for five days. Learn Religions, Sep. 4, 2021, learnreligions.com/when-is-diwali-1770209. The Lacshmipuja dipanwita, remarked Jones, was a "great festival at night, in honour of Lakshmi, with illuminations on trees and houses".[68][f]. It is believed that spirits roam around on the night of Kali Chaudas, and Hanuman, who is the deity of strength, power, and protection, is worshipped to seek protection from the spirits. Subhamoy Das is the co-author of "Applied Hinduism: Ancient Wisdom for Today's World." Diwali as a new-moon day, marks the last day of a 15-day period. [161] Other goods that are bought in substantial quantities during Diwali include confectionery and fireworks. Diwali for the year 2022 is observed on 24 October, which falls on a Monday. Diwali is a five-day religious festival. However, in South India, the festival is observed as the defeat of Narakasura. Diwali celebrates Rama's eventual defeat of the evil spirit Ravana, and his triumphant return to his home. According to Pintchman, in some Hindu traditions the women recite tales where sisters protect their brothers from enemies that seek to cause him either bodily or spiritual harm. Dhan-trayodashi or Dhan teras: Dhan means "wealth" and Trayodashi means "thirteenth day." Thus, as the name . Diwali is generally a time for visiting, exchanging gifts, wearing new clothes, feasting, feeding the poor, and setting off fireworks (though such displays have been restricted to limit noise and other environmental pollution). As per India's official holiday calendar, Diwali in 2020 will be on Saturday, November 14, coinciding with the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. [31][32][33] The main day of the festival of Diwali (the day of Lakshmi Puja) is an official holiday in Fiji,[34] Guyana,[35] India, Malaysia,[a][36] Mauritius, Myanmar,[37] Nepal,[38] Pakistan,[39] Singapore,[40] Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Thus, people worship Hanuman the day before Diwali's main day. In some communities, husbands will give gifts to their wives, while in others parents with newly married children invite them and their spouses to enjoy a meal and receive gifts. Merchants perform religious ceremonies and open new account books. While the dates vary annually based on the Hindu lunar calendar, Diwali usually occurs in October or November. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Some diyas may also be set adrift on streams and river and the evening is marked with fireworks. It symbolizes the victory of good over evil and an even deeper meaning is to drive away our inner darkness with light. [48][127], The youngest members in the family visit their elders, such as grandparents and other senior members of the community, on this day. The Prayer Hymn (Aarti) for the Hindu Diwali Celebration, Hindu Calendar: Days, Months, Years and Epochs, The Real Reason for the Hindu Raksha Bandhan Celebration, History and Significance of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, Reasons to Celebrate Diwali the Festival of Lights, Calendar of Hindu Festivals, Fasts, and Religious Events 20202025, The History of Vasant Panchami, the Birth of Hindu Goddess Saraswati, A Guide to the 6 Seasons of the Hindu Calendar, A Guide to Lohri, The Hindu Winter Bonfire Festival, Evaluating Population Exposure to Environmental Pollutants During Deepavali Fireworks Displays Using Air Quality Measurements of the Safar Network, Whose Diwali Is It? [134], On the night of Diwali, rituals across much of India are dedicated to Lakshmi to welcome her into their cleaned homes and bring prosperity and happiness for the coming year. Many light diyas and keep them burning throughout the night. The word "Deepavali" means "a row of lights" in Sanskrit, and its origins were likely as an ancient harvest festival. To produce colors when crackers are burst, carcinogenic and poisonous elements are used. Diwali Diwali (or Deepawali, Deepavali) is an ancient Hindu festival that is celebrated in autumn every year. [110] Some regions of India start Diwali festivities the day before Dhanteras with Govatsa Dwadashi. Diwali is the biggest holiday of the year in India. Diwali is one of the most revered and a pious festival deeply entrenched in Hindu culture. Although not a primary festival of Buddhism, Diwali is celebrated by some Buddhists as a commemoration of the day when Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism in the 3rd century bce. What makes Dev Deepawali different from Diwali? [147] In historic times, this was a day in autumn when brothers would travel to meet their sisters, or invite their sister's family to their village to celebrate their sister-brother bond with the bounty of seasonal harvests. Some celebrate Diwali as a commemoration of the marriage of Lakshmi and Vishnu, while othersobserve it as the birthday of Lakshmi. The darkest night is the apex of the celebration and coincides with the second half of October or early November in the Gregorian calendar. Like : If I was born on Sept 18 th - which is a full moon day I need to celebrate my bday on a full moon day in that month( even month is different from calender months) Hop. Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi Devi is worshipped on this day and it is customary to purchase precious articles. Every year on the darkest night in the northern hemisphere, millions illuminate their homes and streets to celebrate the victory of good over evil. Learn about Diwali, when it occurs, and common traditions! [124][128] Shops either do not open or close early on this day allowing employees to enjoy family time. Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune and prosperity, is the primary deity worshiped during Diwali. In his 11th-century memoir on India, the Persian traveler and historian Al Biruni wrote of Deepavali being celebrated by Hindus on the day of the New Moon in the month of Kartika. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The fourth day has different names in different regions and typically celebrates the marital bond. This is believed to please Yama (Yamraj), the god of death, and to ward off untimely death. The one festival in India that is celebrated above the caste & religion that is Diwali. Where does Diwali get its name? This is followed by Choti Diwali the next day and Diwali on November 4. [123], This day is commonly celebrated as Diwali in Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Karnataka. The names and events of the individual days of Diwali are as follows: The first day, known as Dhanteras, is dedicated to cleaning homes and purchasing small items of gold. On the Gregorian calendar, the festival falls between October and November. The five days are as follows:. [59][60] The 16th-century Portuguese traveler Domingo Paes wrote of his visit to the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire, where Dipavali was celebrated in October with householders illuminating their homes, and their temples, with lamps. [135] Vaishnava families recite Hindu legends of the victory of good over evil and the return of hope after despair on the Diwali night, where the main characters may include Rama, Krishna, Vamana or one of the avatars of Vishnu, the divine husband of Lakshmi. [79], Hindus of eastern India associate the festival with the Goddess Kali, who symbolises the victory of good over evil. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. Diwali is typically a four- or five-day event, starting two days before the new moon and extending two days afterward. He explained that though the actual Hindu festival day is the same, it is identified differently in regional calendars because there are two traditions in the Hindu calendar. [167] In 2020, the INDF ETF was launched to mark the start of Diwali. In 2022, Diwali is on Monday 24 October. UCF's Indian Student Association (ISA) will host Diwali event at the Hindu Society of Central Florida Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. The Diwali festival dates back to ancient times in India. Diwali will become a public school holiday in New York City starting next year, Mayor Eric Adams (D) announced Thursday.. Why it matters: Diwali, a celebration of light over darkness that starts on Oct. 24 this year, is one of the most sacred holidays observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. It is celebrated in India and other countries such as Nepal, Malaysia, Fiji, and Mauritius. (2021, September 4). . This legend is remembered through the ritual of building small mountain-like miniatures from cow dung. When people are exposed to these pollutant particles, they may suffer from eye, nose, and throat-related problems. [165] About two-thirds of Indian households, according to the ASSOCHAM forecast, would spend between 5,000 (US$63) and 10,000 (US$130) to celebrate Diwali in 2017. "When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? The festival typically lasts for four to five days and coincides with the new moon on the Hindu lunisolar calendar,. This is done via a bathing ritual called Abhyanga Snan. Large government-sponsored festivals are held in London, Sydney, Toronto, and Edinburgh, and they are often a showcase for Indian culture, music, dance, fashion, food, crafts, and fireworks. The festival usually falls between mid-October and mid-November. Jean Mead, How and why Do Hindus Celebrate Divali?, John Bowker, ed., Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions (Oxford UP, 2000), See Festivals, Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, "2022 Diwali Puja Calendar, Deepavali Puja Calendar for New Delhi, NCT, India", "Diwali 2020 Date in India: When is Diwali in 2020? Diwali's date is determined by the India calendar and changes every year, ranging from October to November. When Is Diwali (Deepavali)? A lunar year varies in length, each month containing approximately 29.5 days (354 days) depending on the moon's movement with respect to the earth. It is in fact the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksh, the dark forthnight of the month of Kartik. [135][136] At dusk, lamps placed earlier in the inside and outside of the home are lit up to welcome Lakshmi. [129] At dusk, family members gather for the Lakshmi Pujan,[129] although prayers will also be offered to other deities, such as Ganesha, Saraswati, Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Hanuman, or Kubera. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. 2. It is determined by the Indian calendar and the dates of celebration change every year. The festival falls sometime between October and November. The meaning of Diwaliand its many legends Diwali is so widely. For Sikhs, the celebration highlights the release of guru Hargobind Singh from prison and his return to Amritsar. Diwali was not a public holiday in Pakistan from 1947 to 2016. Each day has the following rituals and significance:[43], Dhanteras, derived from Dhan meaning wealth and teras meaning thirteenth, marks the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of Ashwin or Kartik and the beginning of Diwali in most parts of India. Diwali festivities include a celebration of sights, sounds, arts and flavours. [143] In Gujarat, Annakut is the first day of the new year and celebrated through the purchase of essentials, or sabras (literally, "good things in life"), such as salt, offering prayers to Krishna and visiting temples. Diwali is observed on the day of Amavasya or the new moon and marks the start of the Hindu New Year. For other uses, see, Indoor Diwali decorations in front of an altar, Line of lamps at Bedara Kannappa temple, Mysore, Diyas lit for Diwali at Golden Temple, Punjab, Decorative lights for Diwali on a house in Haryana. 10,000 on this Diwali: ASSOCHAM survey, "Festival of Lights: All You Need to Know About Diwali", "DNA Explainer: What is Diwali Muhurat Trading and why it is best time to invest in stocks", "NextFins Celebrates Diwali With the Launch of INDF", "Prince Charles, Camilla celebrate Diwali in UK", "Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall Celebrate Diwali at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London", "Brown celebrates Diwali at 10, Downing Street, in a 'historic' first", "Pakistan parliament adopts resolution for Holi, Diwali, Easter holidays", "Muslim-majority Pakistan set to declare Holi, Diwali and Easter as public holidays", "Muslims join Hindus in Diwali celebrations in Pakistan's Peshawar", "Burns in the developing world and burn disasters", "Air Pollution: Delhi's air quality enters 'Red Zone' ahead of Diwali", "Diwali may bring 'severe' air pollution to Delhi, despite fireworks ban", "Firecrackers Not Only Pollute The Environment But Also Carry Cancer Causing Chemicals", "Diyas symbolise Diwali, crackers cause pollution: Delhi environment minister", The Ancient Origins of Diwali, Indias Biggest Holiday, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sembilan's Birthday, Anniversary of Installation of the Sultan of Terengganu, Declaration of Malacca City as Historical City, Declaration of George Town as World Heritage Site, Annunciation of the Virgin Mary / Annunciation of the Theotokos, Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust, Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Fast in Honor of the Holy Mother of Lord Jesus, Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nativity of Mary / Nativity of the Theotokos, Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month, Virgin IslandsPuerto Rico Friendship Day, Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diwali&oldid=1139371132, Articles containing Assamese-language text, Articles containing Bengali-language text, Articles containing Gujarati-language text, Articles containing Kannada-language text, Articles containing Konkani (individual language)-language text, Articles containing Maithili-language text, Articles containing Malayalam-language text, Articles containing Marathi-language text, Articles containing Punjabi-language text, Articles containing Nepali (macrolanguage)-language text, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English, Articles using infobox templates with no data rows, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Ashvin Krishna Trayodashi, Ashvin Krishna Chaturdashi, Ashvin Amavasya, Kartik Shukla Pratipada, Kartik Shukla Dwitiya, 11 (Kali Chaudas/Hanuman Puja/Chhoti Diwali), This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 20:01. Sharell Cook lives in Mumbai full-time and writes about India travel. Forget bitterness. Symbolising the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness, Diwali usually falls in the early autumn, coinciding with the new moon, deemed the darkest night of the Hindu lunar calendar. This festival gets its name from "Deepa" meaning "Light" and "Avali" meaning "Row". [171][172] Since 2009, Diwali has been celebrated every year at 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British Prime Minister. [114], On the second day of Diwali, Hanuman Puja is performed in some parts of India especially in Gujarat. [43] In western states such as Gujarat, and certain northern Hindu communities of India, the festival of Diwali signifies the start of a new year. This is believed to please Yama, the god of death, and to ward off untimely death. [186], (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority, (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies. In South India the festival marks Krishnas defeat of the demon Narakasura. Diwali falls on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Kartik, which is the new moon day of the first month of the lunar year. [60] It is mentioned in the Ramayana that Diwali was celebrated for only 2 years in Ayodhya. Today it is the "festival of lights," attached to various mythological stories, particularly tales about Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. [115][144][145], The agricultural symbolism is also observed on this day by many Hindus as Annakut, literally "mountain of food". The festivities vary between different regions. [124], As the evening approaches, celebrants will wear new clothes or their best outfits, teenage girls and women, in particular, wear saris and jewelry. Diwali, also spelled Divali, one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, lasting for five days from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. It's associated with Lord Ram's return to his kingdom in Ayodhya after exile and rescuing his wife from demon king Ravan on Dussehra. [169][r], Many governments encourage or sponsor Diwali-related festivities in their territories. Scholars contest the 527 BCE date and consider Mahavira's biographical details as uncertain. ( See calendar ). The fourth day, known as GoverdhanPuja,Balipratipada,or Annakut, commemorating Krishnas defeat of Indra, the king of the gods, is also the first day of Karttika and the start of the new year in the Vikrama (Hindu) calendar. Diwali Decor. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning row of lights. The festival generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. [m] Contemporary Bengali celebrations mirror those found elsewhere, with teenage boys playing with fireworks and the sharing of festive food with family, but with the Shakti goddess Kali as the focus. Food is a major focus with families partaking in feasts and sharing mithai. Though technically religious, it's also become a cultural event in North America that's celebrated with sweets and special foods. Spiritually, Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. The reason Diwali's celebration date is different each year is that each of the Hindu calendarsthere are severalis lunisolar, meaning they take into effect both the movements of the sun and the moon. [77][78][i], The religious significance of Diwali varies regionally within India. Diwali is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Sainsbury's bans fireworks across . According to a Government of Himachal Pradesh and India publication, the Vishvakarma puja is observed on the fourth day of Diwali in the Himalayan state. [53][54], The five-day long festival originated in the Indian subcontinent and is likely a fusion of harvest festivals in ancient India. In 2013, about 25 billion (US$310million) of fireworks were sold to merchants for the Diwali season, an equivalent retail value of about 50 billion (US$630million) according to The Times of India. Diwali (Deepavali) Nov 27, 2023: Guru Nanak's Birthday: Dec 25, 2023: Christmas Day: Which are the other holidays in India? This year's date of celebration starts November 14, 2020. . It was in early 20th-century, states Harjot Oberoi, a scholar of Sikh history, when the Khalsa Tract Society triggered by the, Hindus of eastern and northeastern states of India associate the festival with the goddess. Cook, Sharell. Diwali is celebrated over five days in most of North India. [176], Every year during Diwali, Indian forces approach their Pakistani counterparts at the border bearing gifts of traditional Indian confectionery, a gesture that is returned in kind by the Pakistani soldiers who give Pakistani sweets to the Indian soldiers.