It is that time of the year again when we clear out houses and decorate them with diyas, flowers and rangoli to celebrate the festival of Diwali with our loved ones. While most calendars mark Diwali holidays as one or two days reserved for Choti Deepavali and Deepavali, the festival of lights is actually a celebration spanning five days. This major Hindu festival begins with Dhanteras and concludes four days later with the celebration of Bhai Dooj. Ahead of this year’s festivities, read about the five days of Diwali and their significance.
Day 1: Dhanteras
Dhanteras, or Dhanatrayodashi, marks the first day of the festival of Diwali. The day falls on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the Hindu calendar’s Ashvini month. It is considered auspicious to buy new things, in particular utensils and gold, on this day. According to legend, the day is the birth anniversary of Lord Dhanvantri, the vaidya or doctor of the Gods, who brought the knowledge of Ayurveda and the elixir of immortality with him after emerging from Samudra Manthan (the churning of the oceans).
Day 2: Naraka Chaturdasi
Naraka Chaturdasi, also known as Choti Diwali, occurs one day before the Great Indian Festival of Lights. The day occasion derives its name from the legend of Demon Narakasura. This asura had taken saints and 16,000 women as his prisoners. To relieve the suffering of those tormented by the Demon, who was cursed to die at the hands of a female, Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama descended on the Earth. Satyabhama served as Lord Krishna’s charioteer. After killing Narakasur, to help the abducted women retain their dignity in society, the Lord married all 16,000 women. On this day, women also apply the 16 ornaments (or Solah Shringar) in remembrance of the kidnapped women attaining being saved by Lord Krishna.
Day 3: Lakshmi Pooja/Deepavali
This is the day of the Deepavali festival. People worship Goddess Lakshmi, the female deity of wealth on this day. It is customary to clean one’s house and decorate it to welcome the Goddess into one’s home. Hindus make rangoli decorations and light up their entire house with diyas, candles, and lights. Families also exchange gifts and sweets. According to the Ramayana, Deepavali is the day Lord Rama, alongside his wife Sita, and Hanuman returned to Ayodhya.
Day 4: Govardhan Pooja
The day of Govardhan pooja usually occurs a day after Deepavali and is dedicated to Lord Krishna and nature. People make a small model of the Govardhan mountain (often using cow dung) and decorate it with flowers. Devotees also worship Lord Krishna, the Govardhan mountain, and cows.
Day 5: Bhai Dooj
Falling on the last day of the Diwali festival is Bhai Dooj. On this day, sisters mark their brothers’ foreheads with a tilak and pray for their long life and prosperity.
It is believed that if the pooja on this day is performed according to the prescribed procedures, Yamaraj, the Hindu God of death and justice, is pleased and fulfils the wishes of his devotees.
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