Why is Diwali celebrated? Cause and Importance

Why Deepawali is celebrated: - Although many festivals are celebrated in India, there are some such festivals, which have their own special importance in Indian history. Dussehra and Diwali top the list of all these religious festivals celebrated in India. Diwali is considered to be the biggest festival in Hinduism.

This festival of Diwali comes exactly 20 days after Dussehra. Diwali is one such festival celebrated in India, in which people completely decorate their homes with burning lamps, and celebrate their Diwali festival with firecrackers. There are many mythological beliefs behind celebrating Diwali, which is mentioned below.

Why is Diwali celebrated?

There are many mythological stories associated with the celebration of the festival of Diwali. But we are going to tell you some special stories about them. The festival of Deepawali is celebrated by following these special mythological beliefs mentioned below.

On the festival of Diwali, people worship Goddess Lakshmi and Vighnaharta Ganesh. So let's know, the special reason behind celebrating the festival of Diwali:

Lord Shri Ram returned to Ayodhya after killing Ravana

As you all know, Lord Shri Ram was exiled for 14 years. Lord Shri Ram was exiled for 14 years due to filling the ear of Mata Kaikeyi by Manthara, the maid of Ayodhya. Mata Kaikeyi, listening to Manthara's words, asked her husband Dasharatha for her 3 promises and made them promise. The following are the words sought from Dasharatha by Mata Kaikeyi:

1. Ram was exiled for 14 years
2. Ignorance should be given with 14 years of exile
3. Bharat should be made king

Due to these words sought by Mata Kaikeyi, Lord Shri Ram, obeying his father's orders, started going to the forest. Then his wife Sita also insisted on going with him and Lord Shri Ram was also taking his wife Sita with him. Then his younger brother Lakshman also asked permission to go with them, but Lord Shri Ram did not agree. When Lord Rama did not obey, Lakshman was adamant and went to the forest with his brother and sister-in-law.

After going to the forest, Lord Shri Ram, Mata Sita and Lakshman all make a hut and start living in it. Once Lakshmana was collecting wood in the forest when a demon named Soup Nakha comes with a proposal to marry him and Lakshmana gets angry and cut off his nose. She was feeling very insulted by the nature of the demonic Lakshmana, so she told everything to her brother.

In order to avenge this insult to his sister, Ravana wants to kidnap Lord Rama's wife Sita, so he sends his uncle Maricha to the forest by making him a golden deer. Seeing this, Mata Sita's mind is attracted and she wants to see that deer from her side, so she asked Rama to catch that deer. Lord Shri Ram goes to catch the deer and after a long time, Mother Sita gets worried and sends Lakshmana too, only then Ravana comes there and kidnaps Sita.

After this, Lord Shri Ram reaches Vanara Raj Sugriva in search of Mata Sita and offers Sugriva to help him. Sugriva along with his army of monkeys starts in search of Mother Sita. Mother Sita is not found even after searching in all the cities and after this Pakshiraj told her that Ravana has taken your wife.

After finding out, Lord Shri Ram, together with Hanuman and Sugriva, climbs Ravana's palace. After reaching Lanka, after many days of great war, Ravana is killed. The day when Ravana was killed, that day is celebrated as Dussehra all over India. The festival of Dussehra is considered to mark the victory of good over evil.

Lord Shri Ram returned to Ayodhya, his birth place, exactly 20 days after the killing of Ravana. That is why the people of Ayodhya welcomed Shri Ram by lighting ghee lamps on his return and since then this festival of Diwali is celebrated.

Mother Lakshmi was born on the day of Deepawali

According to Hindu religion and scriptures, it is said that Mata Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth. It is also said that during the churning of the ocean, Mata Lakshmi was born at the time of churning on the new moon day of Kartik month and since then this festival of Deepawali is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Mata Lakshmi and this is the reason why on the day of Deepawali. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped.

Lord Shri Hari Vishnu had saved Mata Lakshmi

Mata Lakshmi, who was born during the churning of the ocean, was imprisoned by the demon king Bali and to free her from the captivity of King Bali, Lord Shri Hari Vishnu took the fifth incarnation, which is said to be the Vamana avatar of Lord Vishnu. It was Vaman who released Mata Lakshmi from the captivity of King Bali on the day of Kartik Amavasya and for this reason also Mata Lakshmi is worshiped on the day of Deepawali.

Other mythological beliefs behind the making of the festival of Diwali

This day is special according to Jainism

According to the people of Jainism, Nirvana was attained on the day of Deepawali by Rishabhdev, the revered and founder of modern Jainism, and this is the reason why this day is celebrated especially by the people of Jainism.

This day is also special for Sikhism

The day of Diwali is also important for Sikhism. The story behind this is that the Mughal emperor had imprisoned Hargobind Singh, the 6th Guru of the Sikhs. It is said that a fakir told the emperor in a dream to set Guruji free, following which the Mughal emperor freed him. The Sikh community celebrates this festival in the joy of their independence.

Lord Krishna killed Narakasura

According to Indian beliefs, it is said that Devkinandan Shri Krishna had killed the demon Narakasura a day before the day of Deepawali, for this reason the festival is celebrated on 1 day before Diwali.

The coronation of King Vikramaditya took place on this day.

King Vikramaditya's name is still taken among the ideal kings, he was the great emperor of ancient India. Vikramaditya was known among the masses for his generosity, courage and patronage of scholars. It is said that the coronation of Vikramaditya took place on the new moon of Kartik month.

In the joy of returning the Pandavas to their kingdom

The story of Mahabharata is that the Kauravas defeated the Pandavas in a game of chess with the help of Shakuni Mama's trick, as a result of which the Pandavas had to go to the forest for 13 years. It is said that on the new moon day of this Kartik month, the five Pandavas returned to their kingdom after completing their exile period. To welcome him, the people of the state welcomed him by lighting a lamp.

Diwali is called the festival of crops

The festival of Deepawali is a very big festival for the farmers. Because the festival of Deepawali comes at the same time when the Kharif crop is fully ripe and it is time to harvest it. Farmers consider this festival as a sign of their prosperity and hence celebrate the festival of Diwali with great enthusiasm.

Diwali is called Hindu New Year's Day

Hindu business people start their new year with Deepawali and start their business from this day itself. All the business people pay off all their loans before starting their new year and also take back all the money given to the people.

This day is special for Arya Samaj

According to the beliefs of the Indian Arya Samaj, the 19th century scholar Maharishi Dayanand ji attained Nirvana on the day of Diwali in Indian history. Swami Dayanand ji had established Arya Samaj and Dayanand ji promoted brotherhood and humanity. Keeping all these things in mind, this day of Diwali is very special for the people of Arya Samaj.

Goddess Shakti took the form of Mahakali

Seeing the growing terror of the demons, Mother Shakti took the form of Mahakali to kill the demons and started destroying the demons.

That is why Lord Shiva went down and lay down in front of him and due to a touch of Lord Shiva's body, the anger of Mata Mahakali was pacified and for this reason the festival of Diwali is celebrated calmly by worshiping Mata Lakshmi. On this night of Diwali, Kali, the fierce form of Mother Shakti, is also worshipped.

Importance of Diwali

• Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped on the day of Diwali itself and it is believed that if a person worships Goddess Lakshmi on the day of Diwali with a sincere heart, then there is never any shortage of money in his house.
• The festival of Diwali is specially celebrated to commemorate the victory of good over evil.
• The day of Diwali reminds people that truth and good always win.
• On the day of Diwali, people exchange gifts to each other and make each other sweet by feeding each other sweets.
• On the day of Deepawali, the behavior of people is very good and love remains between the people, so people also hug each other.
• According to the beliefs, it is very auspicious to burn firecrackers on the day of Diwali and the sound of these firecrackers shows the happiness of the people.

Last Word

We have explained here in detail about why Diwali is celebrated and the story behind it. Hope you liked this information, do share it further. If you have any question or suggestion related to this, then definitely tell in the comment box.