Diwali is one of the most celebrated festivals in India as well as abroad with complete devotion and extreme joy. It is celebrated to rejoice the victory of good over evil when Lord Rama killed Ravana and came back to Ayodhya after fourteen long years in exile. There are several traditions and customs which are associated with Diwali which includes worshipping Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi, Exchanging gifts, lightning lamps, making rangolis and bursting crackers. The Diwali Traditions which are followed all over the world are mentioned below.
Lakshmi Puja
It is believed that, The Goddess of prosperity and wealth, Goddess Lakshmi visits the house of her devotees to shower her blessings in them. The puja of Goddess Lakshmi along with Lord Ganesh on the evening of Diwali is performed.
Lightning Lamps or Diyas
The most important Diwali Tradition is lighting the oil lamps or diyas after the Lakshmi Puja is over. Lightning of lamps is a symbol or removing darkness from this world. According to the belief, when Lord Rama came back to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, the people of Ayodhya were extremely happy and so decorated the whole city with oil lamps and diyas to celebrate. There is another reason for the burning of lamps which is, the Diwali night being a no-moon night and the Goddess Lakshmi will be guided to reach the houses of the devotees. People generally leave the lamps burning throughout the night.
Exchanging Gifts
Exchanging gifts is another very common Diwali Tradition and the elders give clothes to the younger ones and in return, sweets and dry fruits are given to the elder ones. Gifts are bought and parceled to the loved ones as a token of their love and blessings. The shopping spree of Diwali starts weeks before the festival and they all wear the new clothes they got during the Puja. Gold is also considered the best thing to buy on this occasion.
Making Rangoli
Rangoli is a Sanskrit word which means expressing art and the creativity by using color. The courtyards of the houses are cleaned very properly and the entrance of the house is decorated with hangings and rangolis. It is made on the floor on the entrances using different colors. They are made to welcome Goddess Lakshmi when she comes to the house to shower her blessings.
Bursting Fire Crackers
The celebration of Diwali seems incomplete without bursting of crackers. It is believed that, the crackers will keep away all the evil spirits from home and bring in happiness instead. The thinking and beliefs towards firecrackers are different among different people. Some of them find it a crucial part of Diwali while on the other hand; some decide to ignore this tradition considering the fact that they create a lot of pollution. There have been anti-crackers campaigns during the Diwali Festival to ask people not to burst crackers.
The Diwali Tradition followed and believed by the people is different in different parts of the country, but one thing remains the same, which is the invitation to joy and happiness.