What is Diwali?
People all over the world have special times when they celebrate themes and events that are important to them. In India, one of the major holidays is Diwali, the celebration of lights.
Diwali is celebrated in late October or early November. This year, it is celebrated October 31st but lasts for 5 days.
Hinduism
Diwali is celebrated by 4 religions, including Hinduism.
Hinduism is the third-largest world religion, with about 900 million Hindus worldwide.
The religion dates back over 4,000 years.
Hinduism is made up of a variety of different religious beliefs and practices, which began near the river Indus in India. The name 'Hindu' comes from the word Indus.
Beliefs
Central to Hinduism is the belief in a supreme God Brahma, the universal soul, which is found in everything.
Brahman is worshiped in a variety of forms, including Vishnu, Krishna, Rama, Shiva and several others. Hinduism does not have any founder.
Hindus believe that life is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
Hindus believe that every action has an effect and there is a cause for everything. This is called the law of Karma.
Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of lives and that the next life is dependent on how the previous life was lived.
 Vishnu |
 Krishna |
 Rama |
Where is India? Geography Activity
Diwali is known as India's biggest holiday.
Can you find India on this map of the world?
Can you find the USA on this map?
Can you name all seven continents?
What are the five (yes, 5) oceans?
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Watch this National Geographic Video on Diwali - Festival of Lights
Learn About the Legend of Prince Ram
Days of Diwali
The third day of Diwali is believed to be the most favored day; this is when Lakshmi Puja, or the worship of the goddess, is performed. Lakshmi represents luck and fortune. She is invited into the homes of devotees to partake of gifts.
At-home learning activities:
1. Compare and contrast a holiday you celebrate with Diwali. How are they the same? How are they different?
2. Hindus try to scare away the goddess of bad luck at the end of the Diwali celebration. In 2 minutes, develop a plan for how you would scare the goddess of bad luck. Be prepared to share!
And my favorite:
3 Many Hindus start the day by making their homes ready for Lakshmi. One of the first things Hindus do is to clean their homes. So, to ensure that good luck and fortune do not pass us by, let's clean the room!
Looking for more information on Diwali? Check out Celebrating Diwali in the South Hills: Local Diwali Parties and Events.
