It's that time of the year when happiness and joy are in the air, and most people are in the festive spirit. The festival of lights, Diwali, is here. Diwali is an auspicious festival which is celebrated annually by Hindus all over the world. It signifies that no matter what, good always wins over evil or light always prevails over darkness! The much-awaited festival is spread over five days, namely-- Day 1 is Dhanteras, Day 2 is Choti Diwali, Day 3 is Diwali, Day 4 is Govardhan Puja, and Day 5 is celebrated as Bhai Dooj. This year, the festival began on October 22 with Dhanteras and it will end on October 26 with Bhai Dooj.
It is believed that it was on this day when Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, and Lord Laxman came back to Ayodhya after completing 14 years of their exile. During this time, Sita ji was abducted by the demon King Ravana; he was later killed by Lord Ram in a battle. And thus, Diwali is marked in honour and celebration of the return of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, and Lord Laxman. It is also believed that on the auspicious evening of Diwali, Goddess Laxmi visits our homes. And thus in order to welcome her, people clean their homes, decorate their homes, make beautiful rangolis, dress by wearing new clothes, and light up their homes with diyas. People also donate clothes, money, or sweets to the needy and poor, thus spreading joy. They also meet their friends and family and celebrate by sharing gifts or spending quality time with them. After all, Diwali is a time when people spend good quality time with their near and dear ones during the five-day festivities.
