//*\\ Wishing You All Happy Deepawali //*\\

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poonam

@Angel_Luv

Stunner

+ 4

Posted: 7 years ago

Fireworks graphics

Hawa ko khooshbu mubarak...
Fiza ko mausam mubarak...
Dilon ko pyaaar mubarak...
Aap ko hamari taraf se...

DIWALI MUBARAK!!!

D i w a l i ,also known as Deepawali,is the most widely celebrated Indian Festival. It is characterized by l i g h t i n g up of earthen diyas & candles around the homes and bursting crackers throughout d evening. The festival is c e l e b r a t e d for 5 days & is the occasion for relatives & close friends to meet & spend time together, usually playing cards & exchanging sweets.

Although the entire country celebrates Diwali, primarily Hindus, Jains & Sikhs; their way of celebrations differs slightly.

Jainism
The Diwali night in Jainism is of great i m p o r t a n c e . According to their beliefs, Lord Mahavira, the last of the Jain Tirthankar of this era, attained bliss of Nirvana on this day at Pavapuri on 15th October 527 on Chaturdashi of Kartika. In the 3rd century, many gods were present there to i l l u m i n a t e the darkness and bring out the lightness. And therefore, Jains celebrate Diwali as a remembrance day of Mahavira.

Sikhism
For Sikhs, Diwali is known as B a n d i C h h o r D i v a s . On this day, Guru Har Gobind Ji freed himself and Hindu Kings from Gwalior Fort, from the prison of Islamic ruler Jahangir and arrived at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Even since the freedom, Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas, to remember the act of b r a v e r y and f r e e d o m of Guru Har Gobind Ji.

Hinduism
The festival of Diwali is celebrated amongst the Hindu for v a r i o u s reasons. Some people believe that it is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Ram, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshamana from the 14 years of exile. There is also a belief amongst the people that this day also marks the r e t u r n of Pandavas after 12 years of Vanvas (exile) and one year of A g y a t a v a s. Some people relate the festival of Diwali to wealth and prosperity. This festival usually lasts for 5 days for the Hindus. The Bengalis worship Mata Kali, North Indians Goddess Lakshmi, The Brijwasis and South Indians worship Lord Krishna on this day.The 5-days of the Festival are as follows:
Dhanteras: This is celebrated 2 days before Diwali. People usually clean their homes and offices and their surroundings and go for shopping. The purchase of gold, silver and steel is considered very a u s p i c i o u s on this day. S i l v e r C o i n s are the main items of purchase during this day. The evenings are distinguished by gatherings in houses where cards are played and sweets are exchanged.

Choti Diwali: This day, just before Diwali is also called N a r a k C h a t u r d a s h i . The houses are further cleaned and polished. In the night, diyas are lit in all the entrances of the house which also include the drainage pipe holes. This s i g n i f i e s that if Goddess Lakshmi is entering your house, the entrance must not be dark.

Diwali: The main day of the Festival. People wear n e w c l o t h e s and decorate their houses with floral and flour rangolis all around. In the evening, people offer puja to their respective Gods and after that the children burst c r a c k e r s . Jains worship Lord Mahavira. Sikhs decorate the Golden Temple with lights and diyas and those away from Amritsar visit Gurudwaras and then distribute s w e e t s .

All the entrances of the house are kept open because it is believed that the goddess of prosperity- Devi Lakshmi is around during the evening and one should never close their door to her. The diyas are set burning till wee hours of morning.

Padwa/Govardhan Puja: This day marks the e n d of Hindu Financial Year. All the tradesman close their account and slips.

Bhai Dooj/Kalam Dawat Puja: This day is significant in the lives of s i b l i n g s . After bathing, the sisters apply tikka to their brothers. The brothers take their sisters' b l e s s i n g s and in return promise to keep them safe. This day marks the commencement of the financial year when the tradesman open n e w a c c o u n t books for the coming year.

With gleam of Diyas

And the Echo of the Chants

May Happiness and Contentment Fill Your life

Wishing You & Your Family very Happy & Prosperous Diwali!

Edited by Angel_Luv - 7 years ago

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poonam

@Angel_Luv

Stunner

+ 4

Posted: 7 years ago

Ajse aapke yahan dhan ki barsat ho,

Maa laxmi ka appke ghar par vass ho,

Sankaton ka aaj se nash ho,

Har dil per apka raj ho,

Unnati ka sar pe taj ho

Wish you all a very Happy Diwali!

The festival of Diwali is associated with several different stories in Hindu mythology. Thus, Hindus find cause to celebrate this festival for various reasons. Yet, despite the regional variations, the festival universally marks the victory of good over evil .

In North India, Diwali is most popularly celebrated as the return of Lord Rama, King of Ayodhya, with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana to Ayodhya from a war in which he killed the demon king Ravana. It is believed that the people lit oil lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness. This is the reason, why the festival is celebrated a day earlier in South India since Lord Rama traveled from the south to his kingdom in the north. In North India, the festival is held on the final day of the Vikram calendar. The following day marks the beginning of the North Indian new year, and is called Annakut.

In South India, Diwali (known as "Deepavali") is sometimes assocaited with the divine pair of Shiva-Shakti. According to the Skanda Purana, the goddess Shakti observed 21 days of austerity starting from ashtami of shukla paksha (eighth day of the waxing period of moon) to get half of the body of Lord Shiva. This vrata (vow) of austerity is known as kedhara vrata. Deepavali is the completion day of this austerity. This is the day Lord Shiva accepted Shakti into the left half of the form and appeared as Ardhanarishvara. The ardent devotees observe this 21 days vrata by making a kalasha with 21 threads on it and 21 types of offerings for 35 days. The final day is celebrated as kedhara gauri vrata.

Diwali is also sometimes associated with the killing of the evil demon Narakasura by Krishna's wife Sathyabhama. According to Hindu mythology, this event happened in the time of the Dwapara Yuga. In another version, the demon was killed by Lord Krishna himself. Before Narakasura's death, he requested a boon from his mother, Sathyabhama, that everyone should celebrate his death with colorful light.

Diwali in other parts of the world

With more and more Indians now migrating to various parts of the world, the number of countries where Diwali is celebrated has been gradually increasing. While in some countries it is celebrated mainly by Indian expatriates, in others it has become part of the general local culture. Diwali is celebrated in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Fiji, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Suriname, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States. In most of these countries Diwali is celebrated on the same lines as described in this article with some minor variations. Some important variations are worth mentioning.

Nepal

In Nepal, Diwali is known as "Tihar" and celebrated during the October/November period. Here the festival is celebrated for five days and the traditions vary from those of India. On the first day, cows are given offerings, in appreciation of the food they have given and agricultural work they have performed. On the second day, dogs and all living animals are revered and offered special food. On the third day, celebrations follow the same pattern as in India, with lights and lamps and much social activity. On the fourth day, Yama, the Lord of Death, is worshipped and appeased. On the fifth and final day, brothers and sisters meet and exchange pleasantries.

Trinidad &Tobago

In Trinidad and Tobago, communities all over the islands get together and celebrate the festival. One major celebration that stands out is the Divali Nagar, or Village of the Festival of Lights. It features stage performances by the east Indian cultural practitioners, a folk theatre featuring skits and plays, an exhibition on some aspect of Hinduism, displays by various Hindu religious sects and social organizations, nightly worship of Goddess Lakshmi, lighting of oil lamps, performances by various schools related to Indian culture, and a food court with Indian and non-Indian vegetarian delicacies. The festival culminates with magnificent fireworks displays ushering in Diwali. Thousands of people participate in an atmosphere typically devoid of alcohol and in a family environment.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, Diwali is known as "Hari Deepavali," and is celebrated during the seventh month of the Hindu solar calendar. It is a federal public holiday throughout Malaysia. In many respects it resembles the traditions followed in the Indian subcontinent. "Open houses" are held where Hindu Malaysians welcome fellow Malaysians of different races and religions to their house for a sumptious meal. "Open house" or "rumah terbuka" is a practice very much unique to Malaysia and shows the goodwill and friendly ties practised by all Malaysians during any festive occasion.

Singapore

In Singapore, the festival is called "Deepavali," and is a public holiday. Observed primarily by the minority Indian community, it is typically marked by a light-up in the Little India district and is most known for the fire-walking ceremonies not practiced as part of the festival in other countries. The Hindu Endowment Board of Singapore along with Singapores' government organize many cultural events around Diwali time.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, this festival is also called "Deepavali" and is celebrated by the Tamil community. On this day, it is traditional for people to wear new clothes and exchange pleasantries.

Diwali Orkut Scraps, Diwali myspace comments, Pictures

[credit to manesha76]

Edited by Angel_Luv - 7 years ago

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poonam

@Angel_Luv

Stunner

+ 4

Posted: 7 years ago

Diwali, t h e f e s t i v a l o f l i g h t s , brings happiness in everyone's life. It brings the light of victory, removing all the darkness of evil. So this Diwali, let's celebrate this joyous festival by having a safe and eco friendly Diwali.

Let's protect o u r e n v i r o n m e n t and p r o m o t e Green Diwali.

Illuminate house by l i g h t i n g it with diyas all over instead of using the lights run by electricity.

Use the environment friendly free cracker which causes l e s s pollution surrounding you.

Look for o p e n spaces before lighting the fire crackers and keep a safe distance.

Avoid using oil lamps or crackers in your home to so that any kind of m i s h a p s do not occur.

Keep the stock of crackers a w a y from fire in order to avoid any kind of accident.

In case of e m e r g e n c y keep the staircase and fire escapes free from crowding.

Check the fire extinguishers if they are w o r k i n g properly.

Keep the children away from fire crackers if they are n o t accompanied by any elder member.

Do not use matches or lighters to burst the crackers as they have d a n g e r o u s open flames.

Avoid w e a r i n g loose clothes are fire catches in them fast.

Now here are some tips for eco friendly celebration :

R a n g o l i is a great way to start the festive celebration. Adding the colours to the festival of lights will only bring more joy to the faces of your loved ones.

A full house family g e t t o g e t h e r can never go wrong during the festival.

A game of cards and some m i t h a i , the night is all set!

While decorating your house for the festival, use r e c y c l a b l e products. And also while cleaning the house, give the unnecessary things to the under privileged people (i.e. your favourite charity)

Try the e c o - f r i e n d l y Diwali and protect our environment from any kind of h a r m f u l pollution .

Fill our homes with lights of happiness, not of flames.

Have a g r e e n Diwali. Have a c l e a n Diwali.

Have a happy and safe diwali.

[credit to Crazy Creatives]

Edited by Angel_Luv - 7 years ago