Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) 2018 Date: Significance, Puja Shubh Muhurat Time & Vidhi To Celebrate Diwali (Lakshmi Puja)
Diwali is a most important and famous Indian festival. Diwali is known by other names as well, such as Deepawali and Deepali. Deepawali or Diwali is a combination of two words – Deepa or diwa means earthen lamp and wali means rows so Diwali means rows of lamps. We lit these lamps on Diwali in our houses and places around our house. People eagerly wait for this festival the entire year. People start cleaning their houses much in advance, buy gifts and new dresses for themselves and the loved ones. Kids love to celebrate this festival as they get to burn lots of crackers and eat a lot of sweets. It brings charm into our lives. Diwali is not only celebrated in India also in other countries such as Malaysia, Nepal, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka etc.
Significance of the Festival
Though, we connect Diwali with the celebration whenLord Ram along with Sita and Lakshman came back to Ayodhya after an exile of 14 years. But Diwali holds a lot of significance for people of many religions. Let us find it out:
It is said that Diwali was the day when Lakshmi chose Shri Vishnu to be her husband and they got married. So this is the reason that people worship Lakshmi during the festivities of Diwali.
In Sikhism, Diwali is called as Bandi Chhor Diwas because is said that Guru Har Gobind, the sixth Guru of Sikhs freed himself along with some Hindu rulers from the incarceration of Jahangir – the Mughal Ruler. He then reached in Amritsar’s Golden Temple. Since then, every year on Diwali the golden temple is all lit up and firecrackers are burnt.
For people of Jain sect, this day is very important as Mahavira attained the goal of Nirvana on this day. People believe that the darkness was being illuminated by the many gods present there.
In West Bengal, Goddess Kali is worshipped during the Diwali. However, this is not an old practice and came into being in the eighteenth century by the King of Navadvipa – Raja Krishnachandra.
This day also marks the start of the new financial year for many businessmen. They worship Goddess Lakshmi and start the New Year with the prayers of prosperity and progress. Some people buy new clothes and gifts for their employees. Homes and shops are cleaned and decorated and illuminated on Diwali with the lights or the lamps.
This day also holds a lot of spiritual significance for the people. Diwali is a festival where people forgive and forget the wrongdoings of others and start afresh. Festivities are everywhere so people freely accept each other without any bad intentions in mind. This is a great day for unifying when even the hardest of the hearts embrace and mingle with each other. People indulge in a lot of charity and perform good deeds for the needy.
Significance of the Firecrackers and Lights
We all decorate our houses with lights and Diyas. The lighting of Diyas indicates our gratitude to the Gods for their many blessings all throughout the year. People thank God for blessing them with wealth, prosperity, knowledge and peace. The fireworks indicate the joyful nature of the people. These fireworks also make gods aware of their respect and gratitude for them.
A scientific reason is that after the rains, there are plenty of insects which trouble us so the fumes from these crackers is known to kill them.
Lakshmi Puja Shubh Muhurat Time
Diwali falls 20 days after Dusshera every year. In the year 2018, Diwali will fall on 7th November 2018. The Lakshmi Pujan Shubh Muhurat will begin at 17:57 pm to 19:53 pm. The duration of the Shubh Muhuratis 1 hour and 55 minutes.
Lakshmi Puja Vidhi to Celebrate Diwali
The preparations of Diwali begin much in advance. People start cleaning and decorating their houses. Though the Diwali celebrations start from Dhanteras but the main Diwali celebrations begin on the day of Choti Diwali or the Chaturdhashi Day. It is believed that if they apply Ubtan prepared in sesame oil on their bodies before taking a holy bath in the water, they can avoid going to the hell. People start exchanging gifts and goodies weeks before the big festival. People create beautiful Rangolis with flowers, colors and diyas and decorate their houses with new lights and new accessories. In the evening, Lakshmi Pujan is performed by all the family members and then sweets are given as Prasadam. After this, people burn the firecrackers. But then going eco-friendly is the only way to sustain the environment.
Diwali is all about illuminating the inner self. It is a new way of life and a new beginning to everything. The joy, brilliance and dazzle of this festival shines upon us and we become more and more connected to the supreme soul.
