Why do we celebrate Diwali for 5 days?

Significance or Importance of 5 days of Diwali

Here is the significance of 5 days of Diwali. Why do we celebrate Diwali? Why is Diwali 5 days long? Why do we worship different gods on Diwali?

Diwali or Deepavali is celebrated as the festival of light all over the globe. The festival is generally 5 days long dedicated to different gods worshiped in different forms. Mainly, Diwali is dedicated as a celebration for Lord Rama’s homecoming to Ayodhya after an exile of 14 years with his brother Laxman and wife, Goddess Sita. To celebrate the occasion people light up their homes with earthen lamps and decorate their homes with rangolis and lights as it falls on “Karthik Amavasya” or the darkest night. It also symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. In Sanskrit, Deepavali means “the row of light lamps” and hence, describes the custom. 

 

Though the festival is dedicated to the Homecoming of Lord Rama, the 5 days of this celebration is not just a single fest or for a single significance. Let us talk about the significance of different days of Deepavali. 

1st day- Dhanteras

The first day of this five-day-long is celebrated as the day of prosperity and health by the Hindu community. In the context, “Dhan” meaning wealth and “Teras'' means the thirteenth day of a lunar fortnight. According to the Hindu mythological, this was the day when Goddess Laxmi came out of the churns of the ocean, Samudra-Manthan. In the southern portion of the country, the day is dedicated to Dhanvantari, Hindu god of Medicines. He is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Many people consider buying ornaments and jewels on this day lucky for their abundance. This year, the day falls on 12th November. Wish you a piece of good luck. 

2nd day - Choti Diwali 

A day before the main day of Diwali is celebrated as ‘Choti Diwali’ popularly. However, the day is also called “Narak-Chaturdashi '', as in accordance to the Hindu mythology, on this day, Goddess Kali and Lord Krishna demolish evil Narkasur. This day is also dedicated to the victory of good over bad. Many people also celebrate this day as “Roop-Chaudas” and give extra attention to their health and beauty, one day before the grand pooja. This year, the day falls on 13th November. 

3rd day- Diwali

 This is the main day of the festival and falls on “Kartik Amavasya” or No-Moon day. This is the day celebrated as the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya. But the tradition includes worshiping and praising Goddess Lakshmi; goddess of prosperity and luck, goddess Saraswati; goddess of art and knowledge, and lord Ganesha; god associated with both prosperity and knowledge. People pray for the well being of their family and work life that will bring prosperity to their lives. The doors are always open throughout the day, to let the goddess enter in their lives. People do not pray to Lord Vishnu with the goddess Lakshmi as they believe that it is the time when Vishnu is in his sleep. 
The day is occupied by meetings and greetings by relatives and friends. People wear new and beautiful clothes with accessories. The main attraction is beautiful diyas and lighting, wherever you go. Diwali is also known for bright firecrackers but we suggest to responsibly avoid them.

4th day- Govardhan Pooja 

The day next to the main festival is celebrated as Govardhan pooja in many parts of India because of its association with Lord Krishna. It is believed that on this day Lord Krishna defeats Lord Indra, the God of rain and thunder. however, people across the county have different reasons related to the day.
People from Maharashtra, celebrate this day as the victory of Lord Vishnu over the demon king, Bali. And, in Gujarat, people celebrate this day as the beginning of a new year.

5th day- Bhai Dooj

The day is celebrated just like the Hindu festival, Rakhi, and is dedicated to brother-sister’s bond. Many girls and women fast on this day and pray for the well being and long lives of their brother. The belief is said to come from many mythological stories based on this practice. The day is cheerful as people visit their relatives for the tradition of “teeka”. 

This is the significance of Diwali as per Hindu mythology. The craze of these 5 days starts just after Navratri, as people start cleaning their houses. The festival brings positivity and happiness in life, more than anything. As it comes after the Harvesting season, it is also celebrated for good crops in the future. 
Today, the festival of Diwali is celebrated throughout the globe differently because of its beauty. It is 5 days of happiness and the whole country is decorated like a grand fare.  We wish you a safe and happy Diwali. May it bring prosperity in your life, and the whole country.