The first day of Diwali is called Dhanteras. This day marks the beginning of Diwali celebrations.
On this day, Hindus offer a lighted diva with Prasad (sweets offered at worship time) to the Lord of Death and pray for protection from sudden death. This offering should be made near a sacred tree. On Dhanteras Hindus consider it lucky to purchase silver item.
In my house we have a small temple and we do this at home while singing Indian hyms.
The third day of Diwali: Lakshmi Puja
Hindus join with their families and their Priest and they worship the Goddess Lakshmi to receive blessings of wealth and success, the triumph of good over evil.
The worship of the goddess of wealth, is the main event on Diwali in North and West India. It is extremely important to keep the house spotlessly clean on Diwali. Goddess Lakshmi likes cleanliness, and she will visit the cleanest house first. Lamps are lit in the evening to welcome the goddess. They are believed to light up her path.
On this night my family go to a hall and meet with all of our relatives. Together we do this pooja, afterwards we have a party.
On this day, Govardhan Pooja is performed. It is when Krishna lifted Mount Govardhan with his little finger and sheltered men and beasts from the rain.
This day is also observed as annakot meaning mountain of food. Religious people stay awake the whole night and cook 108 different types of food for the bhog (the offering of food) to Krishna.
Normally I go to a temple in Wembley where 1000s of people go to see the annakoot, which is always spectacular as they have different varieties of food every time.
The fifth day of Diwali: Bhai Bij
The fifth day of the Diwali is called Bhai Bij. It is a day dedicated to sisters. This day Yamaraj went to his sister's house and she put a lucky mark on his forehead for his safety. So on this day sisters perform puja for their brothers’ safety and well being. Brothers in return give gifts to their sisters as a token of love.
On this day I go out with all my brothers and sisters, we always have fun but I have to buy presents for my sisters and only get love in return.
The festival of Diwali is often celebrated with huge firework displays and the exchange of sweets. Diwali signifies the renewal of life, and accordingly it is common to wear new clothes on the day of the festival. Because of the lights, fireworks, and sweets, children love it. In India oil lamps are often floated across the river Ganges - it is considered as a good omen if the lamp manages to get all the way across.
Gifts are exchanged and meals are prepared. The celebration means as much to Hindus as Christmas does to Christians. Because there are many regions in India, there are many different reasons why Diwali is celebrated.
Sikhs celebrate Diwali because of the 6th Guru being released from prison in 1619. Sikhs had celebrated Diwali for many years before that and the foundation stone of the Golden Temple was laid on Diwali in 1577.
Lakshmi, wealth and prosperity
For many Indians the festival honours the goddess of wealth.
People start the new business year at Diwali, and some Hindus will say prayers to the goddess for a successful year.
Some people build a small altar to the goddess and decorate it with money and with pictures of the rewards of wealth.
Gambling
The downside of the festival is that many Indians see it as an occasion to gamble. This comes from a legend that the that goddess Parvati played dice with her husband on this day and she said that anyone who gambled on Diwali night would do well.
Gifts
Like Christmas in the West, Diwali is very much a time for buying and exchanging gifts.
Traditionally sweets and dried fruit were very common gifts to exchange, but the festival has become a time for serious shopping, leading to concern that giving gifts are making people forget about the spiritual side of the festival.
In most years shopkeepers expect sales to rise substantially in the weeks before the festival.
Diwali is also a traditional time to redecorate homes and buy new clothes.
In , and celebrate Diwali with great enthusiasm and in most ways very similarly to as in India. People clean and decorate their homes with lamps and candles.A popular type of candle used to represent this holiday is a diya. People also give each other sweets such as , and the different communities may gather from around the country for a religious ceremony and get-together. It is also an important time to contact family in India and exchange gifts through the post. It is a greatly celebrated holiday and is a great way to connect with the culture of India.
In my opinion I like Diwali as I can spend time with my family and friends, I also get to meet new people at the temple that me and my family go to.
Diwali is becoming a well known festival in Britain and non-Indians also join in the festivities.
Thank you for listening.