The Festival of Lights is celebrated every year between mid-October and mid-November, depending on the lunar cycle. The festival is celebrated by Hindus to celebrate the return of Ram and Sita to Ayodhya after their 14-year exile.
Diwali is considered to be one of the most sacred of Hindu festivals and is fervently celebrated in all parts of India. It is the norm to dress up in new clothes, light-up diyas, participate in prayers and pray to the Goddess Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth and prosperity).
Here are the Diwali dates this year:
- Dhanteras (First Day) – November 9, 2015
- Naraka Chaturdasi or Chhoti Diwali and Kali Puja (Second Day) – November 10, 2015
- Diwali or Amavasya (Third Day) – November 11, 2015
- Govardhan Puja (Fourth Day) – November 12, 2015
- Bhai Dhooj (Fifth Day): November 13, 2015
(Read: Hampering my Diwali, writes Shweta Bachchan Nandra)
