Happy Diwali! – 4th November 2021

Happy Diwali to those of you celebrating this amazing festival!

We love this celebration and wanted to do a blog post on it, to inform others who don’t know what Diwali is!

What is Diwali? Diwali is the festival of lights. This festival usually lasts 5 days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika.

Where does the name Diwali come from? It comes from the Sanskrit word Deepavali meaning ‘rows of lighted lamps’ Houses, shops and public places are decorated with small oil lamps called diyas. People also enjoy fireworks and sweets too.

What is the festival about? Each Religion marks different historical events and stories.

Hindus celebrate the return of deities Rama and Sita to Ayodhya after their 14-year exile. They also celebrate the day Mother Goddess Durga destroyed a demon called Mahisha.

Sikhs particularly celebrate the release from prison of the sixth guru Hargobind Singh in 1619. But Sikhs celebrated the festival before this date.

In fact, the foundation stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar, the most holy place in the Sikh world, was laid on Diwali in 1577. The founder of Jainism is Lord Mahavira. During Diwali, Jains celebrate the moment he reached a state called Moksha (nirvana, or eternal bliss).

Traditions: - Many lights and oil lamps are lit on the streets and in houses - People visit relatives and have feasts - Fireworks and festivities are an essential part of the occasion - Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, is worshipped as the bringer of blessings for the new year.

How are you celebrating this year? We would love to know! Email us on sales@whatsoninkent.com or DM us on Instagram @whatsoninkent