When you think of holidays in the fall season, Halloween and Thanksgiving are probably the first things that come to mind. But this festive time of year also contains one of the most important occasions in Indian culture–Diwali, the festival of lights. The festival symbolizes the victory of light over darkness or good over evil.
While it originates from India, it is celebrated in numerous countries around the world, including the United States. It is well known as a Hindu festival, but it has many enjoyable traditions that anyone can get involved in.
The exact timing of Diwali is based on a lunar calendar, so it falls on different dates each year. It generally falls between late October and mid-November and is celebrated over the course of around 5 days (although traditions vary). The first day of Diwali is known as Dhanteras and symbolizes a new beginning. Some people have a tradition of buying new clothes or buying gold as an investment.
Another important day of Diwali is Lakshmi Puja, generally celebrated on the third day of the festival. Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, and during Diwali those who are religious will generally spend time worshiping her in hopes of gaining fortune and prosperity.
However, Indian traditions are very diverse, so people from different areas may choose to worship different gods and goddesses. While Diwali is a religious festival at its core, there are several ways to celebrate it that anyone can do.
The festival of lights lives up to its name, as small oil lamps made of clay called diyas, paper lanterns, and firecrackers are all vital parts of the celebrations. While fireworks are almost completely outlawed in Santa Clara County, the other two are easy ways to get into the Diwali spirit. Diyas are available at most Indian grocery stores, and making DIY paper lanterns is a very fun activity if you like arts and crafts.
Another popular tradition is rangoli. Rangoli is an art form where colored powders are poured on the ground to form a design, often outside the entrance of homes. Stencils can be used as well. You can either buy them or simply make your own out of paper, similar to how you would cut a paper snowflake.
While powder is sold specifically for this purpose, you can use items from your kitchen such as cocoa powder, flour, turmeric, or chili powder. You can also grind up sticks of colored sidewalk chalk for a wider variety of colors.
An essential part of any holiday or festival is the food, and Diwali is especially known for the sweets. One popular Indian sweet you can try is kaju katli, a diamond-shaped dessert made of cashews and often topped with real silver foil. Fancy! If that’s not enough to satisfy your sweet tooth or you’d rather avoid nuts, try jalebi, a bright-orange fried confection drenched in syrup.
Overall, Diwali is one of the most important festivals in Indian culture. So, if you aren’t Indian and would like to learn about other cultures, celebrating it is a great opportunity.
Do you know any other traditions that weren’t covered? Let us know @HerCampusSJSU!