Diwali Speech Diwali is the festival of light celebrated in India and Nepal across five consecutive days in either

October or November. While it is particularly sacred to Hindus, practitioners of other Indian religions also celebrate it, and Jainist, Hindu, and Sikh communities all over the world commemorate the holiday with smaller festivals of their own. Diwali festivities in India involve everyone, not just the religious faithful, and the holiday is a major event in the Indian year. The festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil; in Hindi, Diwali means festival of lights, and people light rows of lights to commemorate heroic figures in Indian mythology who triumphed over the forces of evil. It is also a propitious time for new endeavors, and many people clean their homes and open all their windows and doors to welcome luck and good fortune during Diwali. The exchange of gifts is also traditional during this holiday, and many people host dinners and parties. Regional traditions vary immensely when it comes to celebrating Diwali, because each community has developed its own unique way of celebrating this holiday. Technically, the holiday is actually five days long, with each day representing a different facet of the festival of lights. In many communities, people pick one day of Diwali in particular to celebrate, often with fireworks and other large public festivities. In India, Diwali is now considered to be more of a national festival, and is enjoyed by most Indians regardless of faith. It is commonly celebrated by decorating homes with lamps and candles, bursting of firecrackers and sparklers, eating sweets and other dishes, praying to Gods and Goddesses, observing religious rituals, wearing new dresses and sending wishes and gifts to one another. Numerous myths and stories are associated with Diwali. Many of these myths center around the defeat of evil demons, or the exoneration and freedom of wrongfully oppressed people. The holiday celebrates religious elevation and enlightenment as well. Many festivals also honor specific Hindu gods like Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Ganesha, the god of new beginnings. In many regions of India, people also exchange traditional Diwali greetings when they encounter each other on the street; these greetings express a mutual desire for good luck and fortune in the coming year. If a person happens to be visiting India during Diwali, he or she should be prepared to be swept up in the festivities. Many communities essentially shut down for the celebrations, and it's a great opportunity to learn about Indian history and culture first hand. Many people are happy to share their religious and cultural traditions with curious and respectful visitors. Diwali is also quite fun, with fireworks, performances, dinners, and other events for communities. In other regions of the world, people can visit Indian communities to see the festivals on a smaller scale.

Hindus and Sikhs alike regard it as a celebration of life and use the occasion to strengthen family and social relationships. One of the most important Hindu festivals, Diwali marks the beginning of a new year in some Hindu calendars. For Hindus, the festival is not only the time to make merry but also the time to worship divine beings considered sacred in Hinduism like Lord Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Mahabali. It is also a significant festival for the Sikh faith. For Jains, it is an occasion to remember Lord Mahavira. In Nepal, Diwali is

celebrated by many Buddhists as Tihar or Swanti.

Diwali is known as the "Festival of Lights". This is probably because of the manner in which it is observed. The festival is traditionally celebrated with activities like bursting crackers, lighting rows of candles and diyas (earthen lamps) around individual homes, holding dazzling fireworks display and igniting colourful sparklers. Known as the "Festival of Lights," Diwali commemorates the time when the Lord Rama returned to his hometown Ayodhya after defeating the evil demon king of Lanka, Ravana. Lord Rama was the king of Ayodhya who had, by his father's orders, went away from his country to live in the forest for fourteen years. But the people of Ayodhya loved their king very much and waited for years to meet with him again. And so, when news of Lord Rama's return came to them again, the people of Ayodhya, in the honour of their king and to celebrate his victory, burst crackers, lit up their houses with earthen lamps (diyas), and decorated the entire city in the grandest manner. Year after year this homecoming of Lord Rama is commemorated on Diwali with lights, fireworks, bursting of crackers and merriment. The festival gets its name Deepawali, or Diwali, from the rows (avali) of lamps (deepa) that the people of Ayodhya lit to welcome their King. Thank You