Essay Collection on Diwali for Students

On Jun 3, 2022

Diwali – Essay 1

Introduction

Diwali is a festival that is celebrated among the Hindu and is commonly referred to as the festival of lights. The celebration falls in the season of autumn in the northern hemisphere and falls in the season of spring in the southern hemisphere. The festivity is one of the festivals that are widely celebrated in the Hindu religion.

Diwali is significant in Hindu as it is believed to symbolize how evil can be overcome by good, how ignorance can be overcome by knowledge and how darkness can be defeated by light. The festivity sees a lot of light and illumination taking place in the temples, homes, streets and even offices. The festivity usually takes place for five days.

What does Diwali or Deepawali mean?

Diwali which is also known as Diwali is a name that originated from the Sanskrit name called ‘Dipavali’. This is a name that means a continuous arrangement of lights. The light depicted in the name can also be used to symbolize knowledge or good. Diwali is hence known as the festivity of lights due to the meaning of its name which is why the festivity sees a lot of lighting being done in various places.

History

Diwali is a celebration that is believed to have been carried out as one of the harvest festivals. It started in ancient India as mentioned in various Sanskrit records. The festivity was given various names by various rulers in ancient India. In the 7^th century, King Harsha for example called the festivity Dipapratipadotsava and lamps would be lit all over and gifts would be given to newlywed couples. The 9^th century saw Rajasekhara change its name to Dipamalika and the homes would be cleaned and lamps lit at night in homes and in the streets. There are also various travelers to India during the 11^th and the 16^th century who described the celebration in their journals where they illustrated how people lit oil lamps in different places. During the Islamic rule of the Mughal Empire, the festivity continued to be celebrated. Records from the colonial period also mention about the Diwali celebrations.

Date

The Diwali festival is celebrated during the season of autumn and spring in the northern and southern hemisphere respectively. According to the Gregorian calendar, Diwali comes between the months of October and November. It is a festival that takes place for five days and the third day being the darkest night of the month of Kartika.

Why is Diwali Celebrated?

Diwali is a festivity that has a lot of significance. There are various historical events that have been used to mark the significance of the day. All these historical events and stories have been used to show that good can overcome evil and how knowledge is better than ignorance. Diwali is hence celebrated to offer prayers so as to celebrate the defeat of evil, ignorance and darkness.

Festival of Lights

As can be seen from the name, Diwali means a continuous layer of lights. Lights in the name can be used to represent literal light, or even represent other things that are believed to bring light into the world such as knowledge and good. The Diwali festival is thus marked with a lot of lighting being done to illuminate the homes, temples and streets. This is a practice that has lived from one generation to the next since the festival was first celebrated in ancient India.

What are the 5 days of Diwali?

The day one is referred to as the Dhanteras. This is also the day when the celebrations officially begin. This is a day where people clean and decorate their homes, offices and business places. It’s also a day when people go out to buy items that they will use for Diwali. Lamps that will be lit during the celebrations are also set up in various places.
Day two is the Choti It is also a day when people buy foods that they will eat during the festivity including sweets.
Day three is the Diwali or the Lakshmi Puja. It is the day that marks the major celebrations and also people illuminate various places by lighting lamps. People also get to visit their family members on the day. Puja and rituals are also performed on this day.
Day four is the Annakut or Padwa. It is the day after Diwali and it is set aside to celebrate the bind between couples. Couples are given gifts by their family and friends. There are also people who offer prayers and go to the temple on this day.
Day five is the Bhai Duj. It is the last day of the celebrations and it mainly celebrates the bond between siblings.

How Do Hindus celebrate Diwali?

Hindus celebrate Diwali through various ways. One is the lighting of lamps in their homes, offices and business places. There are also days where Puja is offered and various rituals are performed. The festival also sees some people visit their families to strengthen the bond between them. A lot of foods are cooked during the day especially sweets and people also get to buy new outfits to wear during the celebrations.

What happens during Diwali?

People buy new outfits and jewellery that they will wear during the celebrations.
People also shop for foods that will be eaten and this mainly includes sweets.
The lighting of lamps is done to illuminate the streets, homes, offices and other places.
People visit their loved ones so that the bond between families can be strengthened.
Puja and other rituals are offered to various gods like Krishna.

What food do you eat on Diwali?

On the main day of Diwali, people eat homemade foods and eat together with their families. People also buy or make sweets which are made out of rice, flour, butter, solid milk, etc. sweets and deserts eaten during the celebrations are known as Mithai.

What do you wear for Diwali?

People purchase new outfits for the Diwali festivals. These outfits are most usually brightly colored so that it can illuminate the main mantra of the day which is overcoming darkness with light. People also purchase and wear jewellery on this day to add to the sparkle of the celebrations.

Eco-friendly Diwali

There are various ways that one can maintain an eco-friendly Diwali. This is by;

Reducing the consumption of energy. Instead of lighting electric bulbs, people can decide to light candles or oil lamps so as to conserve energy.
Reducing the use of fire crackers as they result into massive air pollution and noise pollution.
One should also ensure that they clean up after the celebrations to ensure that the streets are not left dirty.

Conclusion

Diwali is a festival that is not only popular in India but it has gained popularity all over the world. The five day festivity is marked by the lighting of lamps in various places. It is why it is known as the festival of lights. Diwali also sees a lot of people come together to share meals and bond. It is important to ensure that we celebrate Diwali in an eco-friendly way so as to make sure that we conserve the environment.

Diwali Festival- Essay 2.

Diwali is a Hindu, Jain and Sikh festival that is celebrated with grandeur and excitement. It is a festival of lights that is celebrated during the autumn seasons every year. The dates vary based on the dates of the full moon and is placed somewhere in the months of

October and November. The festival of symbolises the victory of the good over the evil and the spread of light over darkness. The customs that go along with the celebration of Diwali differ across the country and so do the legends about Diwali.

The cultural practices associated with Diwali are very diverse. Lakshmi Puja is an important Diwali related practice in north India where they worship they Goddess Lakshmi who is the bringer of wealth. Other Diwali related practises include taking an oil bath early in the morning as a symbol of purification of evil and bringing in the good. Some legends state the Diwali marks the return of Lord Ram from exile after the victory over Ravana. Some legends state that it is the day when Naragashura, a demon was slayed by Lord Krishna. The bottom line of all these legends is that Diwali is a celebration of the victory of the good over the evil and bringing in positivity.

It is celebrated by the diaspora of these religions globally. The most important of practises include the lighting of oil lamps called diyas to mark the return of light. Another important practise is the sharing of sweets with near and dear to express their joy. The exchange of sweets and other delicacies forms an important part of the cultural aspects of Diwali. Bursting of crackers and fireworks are also an important tradition related to Diwali. A whole firecracker industry has developed based on this practise. However, in the recent times there have been some environmental concerns associated with bursting crackers.

Diwali is an expression of the joy of a community over the victory of the good over the evil. It is celebrated to share joy and positivity with the community. There have been several problems associated with some practises such as bursting firecrackers but despite all these concerns, we need to keep in mind the true spirit of the celebration. It is our responsibility to uphold cultural values without affecting the nature and the environment.

Diwali – Short Essay 3

Diwali is the biggest festival in India, and it is known as the festival of lights. It is also known as Deepawali. It got its name from deep which means clay lamps and avail which means row.

During this festival, Indians illuminate their courtyards with rows of clay lamps to symbolize the light in their soul which protects them from spiritual darkness.

Diwali is a festival of Hindus, but over the centuries it has now become a national festival.

Interpretation of Diwali by Hindus:

In north India, Diwali is celebrated in memory of King Rama’s return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the demon king.

In south India, this festival is celebrated as the day when Lord Krishna defeated Narakasura.

In the western region of India, this festival is celebrated as the day when Lord Vishnu who is one of the prime Gods of Hindus and also known as the Preserver, sent King Bali who was a demon to rule the world of demons or the nether world.

Celebrations

Diwali is almost a week-long festival the preparations go on for a much longer time.
This day is celebrated as the victory and reinstatement of Rama the King in his Kingdom of Ayodhya. Goddess Laxmi bestowing wealth is the presiding deity of the festival.
Many days before the Diwali, people start cleaning their houses and decorating them. They buy new clothes for the entire family and prepare various traditional dishes.
On the Diwali day, everyone wakes up and bathes before sunrise among lights and firecrackers. The breakfast has all the sweets and savories prepared days earlier. Children and women draw rangoli outside their houses.
In the evening everyone dresses up in his or her best clothes and lights many lamps outside his or her houses, inviting goddess Laxmi. They come together to pray to the goddess for prosperity.
Children look forward to this evening for all the fire crackers that they get to burst. People visit each other and share sweets.
A day later is the ritual of Bhai dooj which is a special day for brothers and sisters to exchange presents and sweets.

In India, people make plans to visit each other in Diwali many months in advance to be able to celebrate this festival with their loved ones.

Diwali – Short Essay 4

Diwali is the biggest Indian festival, something similar in importance to the Christmas in the Western World. Diwali also called Deepawali, literally means the Festival of Lights [Diwa or Deep = Light]. The basic philosophy behind Diwali is to signify and remind ourselves of the victory of light over darkness, the victory of the positive over the negative, the victory of the good over the evil and the victory of knowledge over ignorance. This festival is celebrated in the months of September or October depending on the Hindu Calendar.

Religious significance

Traditionally, in the Hindu mythology the story of Lord Rama is often connected with the Diwali celebrations. The story goes that Lord Rama, his brother Laxmana and his wife Sita were in exile for many years in a forest. The demon king, Ravana abducted Sita, setting off an enmity between Ravana and Rama. After a long war, Lord Rama defeated Ravana in an epic battle and returned to Ayodhya [his kingdom]. His return was celebrated in Ayodhya with lights lit all over the city. This tradition continues till today as Diwali. So Rama represents the good and Ravana the evil element of life.

Five days of Diwali festival

Day 1: Dhanteras

People clean up their homes and other premises. Lights are lit up at the feet of Goddess Laxmi [goddess of wealth] and Lord Ganesha [god of knowledge].

Day 2: Naraka Chaturdashi

This is also called the Choti [small] Diwali and the religious significance of this day is the liberation of the soul from the depths and sufferings of hell [Naraka].

Day 3: Main Diwali or Laxmi Puja

This is the main day of celebration when all houses are lit up with lights across India. This is the day of worshipping [doing Puja for] the Goddess Laxmi [goddess of wealth and prosperity]. All the celebrations and rituals are woven around the celebration of prosperity and joy in life.

Day 4: Padwa is celebrated as the New Year in the Hindu calendar.

Day 5: Bhai duj is a special celebration of the relationship between brothers and sisters.

Deepawali, the festival of lights, is source of great joy to the entire Indian population.

Diwali – Short Essay 5

Diwali is a Hindu festival which gets celebrated around the world by Indians of all castes and creeds. The excitement level of Indians festival for Diwali is same as the excitement level of Britishers for Christmas.

The First day of Diwali: Dhanatrayodashi or Dhanteras is the first day of Diwali. Dhana means Wealth or the Goddess of Wealth, Laxmi and Teras mean the thirteenth day of the Indian Calendar. People do several rituals worship for the Goddess Laxmi, and it signifies the celebration of the importance of Wealth and Prosperity in our lives.

The Second day of Diwali: This day is also called Naraka Chaturdashi or the Little Diwali. Naraka means hell and signifies the slaying of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna, as per mythology. A small part of the Diwali celebrations starts on this day.

The Third day of Diwali: This is called the ‘Big Diwali’ or the ‘Main day of Diwali’. All family and friends get together, visit each other’s homes. People buy and put on new or their best clothes; the mood is full of music, celebrations, and laughter. Special Diwali Sweets are made and shared. Lights and Diwali lanterns are put up all over the house and all over the city. Traditionally firecrackers used to be lit by people throughout the day, but more recently due to Pollution concerns, noiseless and pollution-free firecrackers are preferred.

The Fourth day of Diwali: This day is called ‘Padva’. This day has two significances. One, it is a celebration of the husband and wife relationship and two it is also the New Year as per the Indian Traditional Calendar.

The Fifth day of Diwali: This day is called Bhau-beej or Bhai-dooj. This is a special day celebrating the relationship between Brother and Sister. They have some special cultural rituals signifying the strengthening of their bond.

How Diwali Is Celebrated in India

People decorate their houses with bright colored lights having unique designs. Every year, lights companies offer various new designs due to which the houses of people stay bright and colorful throughout the Diwali night. In addition to it, people spark Diyas on their terraces and other corners of the houses as well which acts as a symbol of victory of light over darkness.
People use firecrackers to show their love for this amazing festival, and from the beginning of the day till the next morning, one can hear the noises of firecrackers getting burst.
Various temples like the Golden temple get decorated beautifully, and people gather here to enjoy the auspicious occasion of Diwali.

Conclusion

There are some problems with this amazing festival as well that due to the firecrackers, the country gets polluted heavily and people face difficulty in breathing for a few days. Other than it, it is one of the most enjoyable festivals of the country.

Diwali (10 Line Essay) – 6

Please find ten lines on Diwali Festival

1. Diwali is an important annual Hindu Festival.

2. Diwali is celebrated across the length and breadth of India and Nepal.

3. Besides India and Nepal, Diwali is joyously celebrated across the globe by the Indian diaspora.

4. Diwali is also known as “Festival of Light” because, people decorate homes and roads with large number of small oil lamps at night.

5. The significance behind the lighting of lamps during the Diwali festival is the triumph of goodness over evils.

6. The festival of Diwali generally coincides with Kali Puja which is another important Hindu festival.

7. The festival of Diwali generally falls in the month of October or November, and lasts for five days.

8. On the main day of the festival, people wear new clothes and perform religious rituals such as Puja.

9. They also burn fire crackers at night, which is a delight to watch.

10. Instead of burning the pollution causing fire crackers, we should celebrate Diwali in an environment friendly way by lighting oil lamps, distribution sweets, visiting family and friends, etc.

Diwali without Crackers (Eco-friendly Diwali) – Paragraph 7

The phrase, ‘Diwali without crackers’, is often referred to as ‘eco-friendly diwali’.i.e., celebration of Diwali festival in a way that do not post threat to the environment.

Diwali Crackers are the firecrackers that comprises of substances that explode on lighting to make loud bursting sound.

In course of time, the ‘festival of light’ has become the ‘festival of crackers’, posing serious threat to the environment.

Reasons to celebrate Diwali without firecrackers:

Fire crackers contribute towards air pollution. They release harmful gases, smokes, and other chemicals in the environment, and contribute towards air pollution.
Many firecracker factories engage children as labors. To put a stop to this, usage of firecrackers should be stopped at once.
Firecrackers should be handled with care. There are safety risks involved with firecrackers.
Firecrackers do not come cheap, and is often a wastage of money.
Human-beings as well as animals are disturbed by the loud noise of firecrackers. Sick people the worst affected.

Instead of firing crackers, we can decorate the places with lights and beautiful ‘Diyas’. Diya is an oil lamp made of clay. Deepak or Deepa means ‘source of light’. Light denotes enlightenment, prosperity, success, wealth, happiness as well as better health.