Where is diwali originate

Then check out our ten facts about Diwali…. People often think of Diwali as a Hindu festival, but it is also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains. The exact dates change each year and are determined by the position of the moon — but it usually falls between October and November. During this festival, people decorate their homes with lights and oil lamps, called diyas.

Activities Diwali Quiz. Diwali History It is since ancient times that Diwali has been celebrated. It is not easy to say now what really was the reason behind its origin. Different people believe different events to be the cause behind this festival. Here are ten mythical and historical reasons that are possibly behind the Diwali Deepavali celebrations. The most well known story behind Diwali is in the Ramayana, the great Hindu epic.

According to Ramayana, Rama, the prince of Ayodhya was ordered by his father, King Dasharatha, to go away from his country and come back after living in the forest for fourteen years. So Rama went on exile with his devoted wife Sita and faithful brother, Lakshmana. When Ravana, the demon king of Lanka abducted Sita and took her away to his island kingdom of Lanka, Rama fought against and killed Ravana.

He rescued Sita and returned to Ayodhya after fourteen years. The people of Ayodhya were very happy to hear of their beloved prince's homecoming. To celebrate Rama's return to Ayodhya, they lit up their houses with earthen lamps diyas , burst crackers and decorated the entire city in the grandest manner.

This is believed to have started the tradition of Diwali. Year after year this homecoming of Lord Rama is commemorated on Diwali with lights, fireworks, bursting of crackers and merriment. The festival gets its name Deepawali, or Diwali, from the rows avali of lamps deepa that the people of Ayodhya lit to welcome their King. Another well known story related to Diwali history is narrated in the other Hindu epic, 'Mahabharata'.

Mahabharata reveals to us how the five royal brothers, the Pandavas, suffered a defeat in the hands of their brothers, the Kauravas, in a game of dice gambling. As a rule imposed on them, the Pandavas had to serve a term of 13 years in exile. When the period was over, they returned to their birthplace Hastinapura on 'Kartik Amavashya' the new moon day of the Kartik month.

The five Pandava brothers, their mother and their wife Draupadi were honest, kind, gentle and caring in their ways and were loved by all their subjects. But there's one common theme no matter where people celebrate: the victory of good over evil. Learn more about the holiday at National Geographic. All rights reserved. Personality Quizzes. Funny Fill-In. Diwali also celebrates the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi.

Some believe it falls on her birthday and the day she married Lord Vishnu, another Hindu god. Hindus interpret the Diwali story based on where they live, according to National Geographic.

In northern India, they mark the story of King Rama's return to Ayodhya after he defeated Ravana by lighting rows of clay lamps. In southern India, people celebrate it as the day Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura.