The festival of lights Diwali is the biggest and brightest festival of India. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and gusto by the Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists all over the world. Diwali brings the series of festivals that is celebrated for five days. The festival starts with Dhanteras and ends with Bhai Dooj festival. Diwali is also called as Deepavali, deep means ’lights’ and avali means ‘rows’ that means “rows of lights”. On the day of Diwali every house is illuminated with candles and earthen lamps and worship goddess Laxmi for prosperity and wealth.

The festival of Diwali starts with Dhanteras or also called as Dhantryodashi and known as ‘festival of wealth’. On this day people do Dhan Laxmi Pujan and many also worship lord Kubera ‘lord of riches’, the day is also considered as the most pious occasion to buy precious metals like silver and gold. People buy jewelries, electronic gadgets, electric appliances and much more.

The second day of Diwali celebration is Choti Diwali that is celebrated just before the grand Diwali celebration. The day is celebrated just like the Diwali but with fewer lights and fewer crackers bursts. Ladies of the house make beautiful Rangoli designs on floor and at entrance gate to welcome goddess Laxmi. The whole house is decorated with torans, electric lights, candles, diyas, artificial flowers and other decoratives. On this day also people worship goddess Laxmi to bring prosperity and good luck at home.

The third day is the main Diwali festival or Laxmi Puja. In some parts of India it is also known as Kali puja as people worship goddess Kali on this day and some worship goddess Laxmi along with lord Ganesha to bring prosperity, wealth, knowledge and good luck in life. Everyone cleans their house and decorates with torans, wall hangings, artificial flowers, electric lights and much more. Women of the house make colorful Rangoli designs and tiny footprints on the floor for welcoming goddess Laxmi. In evening after Laxmi Puja people bursts firecrackers and then they visit relatives and friends house for greetings and conveying best wishes and also exchange gifts and sweets with each other. The tradition of exchanging gifts and sweets is very old and still following. People nowadays give gifts to their loved ones and also send Diwali Gifts to India online for the distant relatives and celebrate the festival.

The fourth day is Govardhan puja that is just after the day of Diwali celebration and on this day the deity of temples especially in Mathura is adorned with new dazzling clothes and jewelries like silver and gold and offered almost fifty six or hundred eight different varieties of foods to lord Krishna and the day is also called as Annakut.

The final and fifth day is Bhai Dooj ; it is the festival that celebrates the love bond shared between brothers and sisters. On this day a sister prays for her brother’s wellness and longevity. In different parts of the country sister mainly puts tilak on her brother’s forehead and do Aarti praying for his longevity and wellbeing. There is also a tradition to exchange gifts with brothers and sisters. People who don’t get the time to buy gifts or are far from their siblings they use to send Bhai Dooj gifts online. Diwali is the series of festival that brings joy, happiness and excitement.

About Author: Tanuj is an expert business analyst. He has written for several online journals. Currently he is rendering his services to Elitehandicrafts.com that is offering Online Shoping for Corporate Diwali Gift for Employees .