Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated throughout India
The major difference in the festival
The word 'Diwali' is most popularly used in North India and South India it is mostly used as 'Deepavali.' The meaning of both the word is the same. The Deepavali celebration is a four-day festival in South India and commences on Aswayuja Bahula Chaturdasi. The first day of the festival is known as Naraka Chaturdasi and it commemorates the victory of Lord Krishna over demon Naraka. This day is celebrated as Deepvali in South India and it usually falls on a day before the Diwali in North India .
Diwali in North India commemorates the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after his exile.
In North India , the Diwali celebration begins two days before the actual Diwali day with the Dhanteras.
The day after Dhanteras is celebrated as Choti Diwali. Usually, the actual Deepavali in South India takes place on this day.
On the Diwali day, Lakshmi puja is held in North India . In South India too Lakshmi puja is held on the same day. The myth is the same – Goddess Lakshmi emerged from Kshira Sagara (Ocean of Milk
The day after Diwali in North India is the Govardhan Puja. This day in South India is celebrated as Bali Padyami and it is believed that King Mahabali returns to earth on this day to visit his subjects.
The next day is Bhai Dhooj in North India and in South India it is the Yama Dvitiya. On this day sisters invite brothers to their home. This ritual is same in North and South but with a different name and myth.
11 comments:
It the date for Deepavali/Diwali the same every year and all over the world? Or does it follow an Indian calendar like Chinese New Year does?
Thanks for the explanation on the difference between Deepavali and Diwali. Now i can sleep easy. Even Wikipedia doesn't say anything. Maybe you should go edit the article :).
Happy Deepavali to you anyway, hope you have a great time celebrating it.
BYE!
Thanks a million for explaining the difference. Every year it keeps bothering me why there are two names but every web site keeps saying there is no difference. I knew there must be so I kept searching and thanks to you and I now know.
Please refrain from calling faiths as Myths only the western world would like to call every Hindu belief as a myth.
I`ve read many articles & got the actual meaning of it...99.7% i guess! ^_^
To all my beloved Hindu`s friends..India/Punjabi etc...
"HAPPY BELOVED DEEPAVALI & HAPPY DEVALI"
-Mohd Enrique (SE Asia)
Hi,
Diwali means bankruptcy in Kannada (the language of Karnataka - one of the states of South India). As written, for people in Bangalore, Deepavali is celebrated over 4 days... strating with the eve of Naraka Chathurdashi which is also called " Neeru thombo habba". A festival where in all the water tanks are cleaned & filled with water in preparation for the next day's ablutions and worshipped.
Hi All,
As far as I understand, as a Sanskrit student, the word Diwali actually has no meaning. It is only an anglicized version of the word Deepavali to make it easier to pronounce for non-Indians. If you try to analyze this word Deepavali carefully, it is easy to understand that it is rather "Deep+aavali"" meaning the spreading of the light. The inner meaning could further be explained as enlightening within and outside. Hence, symbolically, it is the festival of lights :))
There is still a lot of confusion about this topic going on. As per definition, there is a big difference calculating the 2 dates:
DEEPAVALI occurs on Ashvina Krishna Chaturdasi (the lunar day before the new moon). The exact date is calculated based on the last 90 minutes before sunrise (Arunodaya). The reason being that Deepavali involves bathing before sunrise.
DIWALI however occurs on the following lunar day on Ashvina Amavasya (lunar day of new moon). The date is calculated based on extended Pradosha (a few hours after sunset). It is being observed by displaying diyas, lanterns and firecrackers.
In the western (gregorian) calendar both dates occur on the same gregorian day in about 2/3 of cases (years).
Hope that helps.
Happy Diwali 2011!
diwali the festival oflights is being celebrated through out india
THAT'S WHY AMERICA IS CALLED THE "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" & INDIA IS CALLED THE "DIS-UNITED STATES OF INDIA"!!. WHETHER NORTH OR SOUTH IS STILL INDIA RIGHT? WHY THE NORTH & SOUTH INDIANS HAVE DIFFERENCES...HOPE IT DOES'NT END UP LIKE NORTH/SOUTH KOREA!
IN NORTH INDIA (DIVALI); IN SOUTH INDIA (DEPAVALI)....DIVIDED???
Diwali word is nothing but simple pronunciation of Sanskrit word Deepawali. In so called North (including Central.West,East,North & rest of world) all use word Deepawali/Diwali without any special regional consideration.
The Narak Chaturdashi is also celebrated in major part of so called North India with similar practice of early bath with Ubtan and fragrance oils.
In Bengal it is Kalipuja (being a Maharatri or Siddhiratri) in Magadh region It is widely celebrated as Laxmipooja but concept of Diwali is same everywhere except part of South Karnataka (not entire Karnataka) TN/Kerala who deliberately skips Deepawali as major festival just to show that they have something different as culture. The mentality is same where they use H with T and D to show that they are from a particular region.
Not only Dipawali socalled South skips Holi/Ramnawami/Vijayadashmi/Shri Krishna Janmashtami/Basant Panchami(saraswati puja) all major Hindu festivals to prove that they have their own concept. What most pity is the central govt also have dual policy and there is no official holiday for Holi/Diwali in so called South.
Another technical reason is Panchang. Rest of India and South India have different Panchang so it is natural that they have their own differences.
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