When is Diwali
Understanding the Changing Dates of Diwali
Diwali is clearly the most anticipated festival of the year.
Once the monsoons have beaten their retreat, there is constant
wonder and anxiety about when Diwali festivities will get
underway. The undue interest is largely due to the fact that
Diwali is never celebrated on the same day on the English
calendar. People are constantly referring to the Hindu calendar
and finding out When
is Diwali, though there is quite a simple calculation to
determine this. Indian festival dates vary from year to year. The festival
dates depend on the Hindu calendar and the place of the sun and
stars. However, the months of certain festivals can be predicted
well in advance. Hindu mythology highly regards astrology and
astronomy and thus, festivals are celebrated at a particular
time which is called Mahurat and on a certain calculated date,
which varies each year. However, one may ask why is knowing the date of Diwali so important. Well, apart from being a grand festival for most in the country, it becomes a reason for family members to rejoice and spend quality time together. As the new year starts the calendars start to pour in, people search for the Diwali and start to plan their schedules accordingly. The dates of Diwali are in sync with the “Panchaang”, the Hindu calendar. This calendar is based on the movements of the moon and the sun. It holds great importance in Hinduism and priests and priestesses use this to decide the wedding dates, time of havans, and other things. Diwali is a five-day festival that consists of Dhanteras, Kali chaudas, Diwali, Govardhan Puja, and Bhaiya Doojh. Dhanteras is on the 25th of October, two days before Diwali. Dhanteras falls on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Kartik which is in September/October. Kali Chaudas is celebrated on the second day of Diwali and is also called Naraka Chaudas. It is followed by Diwali and Govardhan Puja where people worship Lord Krishna as he picked the Govardhan Mountain on his pinky finger to save the villagers of Vrindavan. The final day of Diwali is Bhaiya Doojh. Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj are on 28th and 29th October respectively. Bhaiya Doojh is a festival similar to Rakshabandhan. On this day, brothers and sisters celebrate their sacred bond of love and rejoice in the celebrations of Diwali. Why planning for Diwali week in 2019 is important? Besides shopping for new clothes and Diwali Gifts, one also needs to purchase lights, diyas, decorations and firecrackers to celebrate the festival of Diwali. That’s quite a lot of shopping that would require several trips to the marketplaces. Completing your shopping in advance is the smart thing to do so you have several days to visit the homes of your relatives, friends and acquaintances to exchange Diwali gifts. An even more smart thing to do is to complete your shopping using online marketplaces instead and save yourself the trouble of going to an actual marketplace. The collection is equally good and so are the rates – so you don’t lose out on anything and gain comfort and savings for free. Diwali is a day to rejuvenate, rejoice and relax in one’s safe abode. It is a national holiday in India and certain parts of Nepal, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. People abroad plan their holidays, vacations and weekends in a way that they can spend time with their families. Talking of India, most people plan their annual family trips or shopping spree in these five days. They either plan to go hiking on a nearby hill station or extend their holiday for a day or two and plan longer and farther trips. - Knowing the Diwali week is also essential for certain ceremonies and rituals. In Hindu Mythology, one avoids getting married in the Diwali season and find dates after Diwali. This helps them plan their occasions or weddings well in advance and gives them a buffer of at least three months. - For most brands in India, discount season comes half-yearly or quarterly in a year. They have to plan their sale well in advance and separate their stock for the same. Thus, knowing Diwali dates is extremely important for retailers and businessmen. - A lot of people buy properties, silver, gold or precious items in Diwali. They consider this as an auspicious gesture, one that brings in luck and wealth. For individuals who work day and night to make ends meet, they need to plan well in advance of such expenses. Thus, if one wishes to buy a house or a gold set in Diwali, they need to start saving for the occasion to purchase precious items for Diwali. - Firecrackers, sweets, dry-fruit hampers, chocolate hampers, snacks hampers, and clothes are an inseparable part of Diwali. Firecracker manufacturing starts from early July and goes on till Diwali for it takes time to make them. To align with the eco-friendly Diwali, most manufacturers now make green crackers, which take more time and effort. Chefs need to plan their sweet menus in a way that they can launch special Diwali edition sweets in their menus. Most gift shop owners put together a set of goodies and eatable in a basket and sell Diwali gift hampers which sell like hot cakes in this season. - A very important and crucial part of Diwali is the Diwali dress. Every year, we buy a new dress for Diwali and eagerly wait for the day to arrive when the new piece can be worn. People start searching the markets from September itself for that perfect piece of fabric that could fit their imagination perfect for a Diwali dress. Hence, knowing the Diwali date can help both the cloth seller and buyer. Most get it stitched while most get them stitched from a tailor/designer. - Getting rid of all the unnecessary junk lying around in the house and painting the walls with a fresh color is part of everyone’s Diwali routine. Cleaning the house in Diwali is a tradition that welcomes purity and sanctity into the house. People request the house helpers to spare a day or two in helping them clean the doors, windows, fans, lofts, utensils, and houses for Diwali. Hence, the Diwali week of 2019 is an important week for most households in India. - With human activists raising voices against animals, environment and homeless, a lot of NGOs make provisions for those left on streets. As winters approach, followed by Diwali, these NGOs get in touch with shelter homes or corporates to contribute to the noble cause and take them in for a week to keep them from harm and danger. Hence, knowing Diwali dates is extremely important to NGOs, social workers, organizations and charitable trusts. - Corporates and MNCs give a token of love to their employees every year on Diwali. Understanding when is Diwali helps the Human Resources team plan bonuses, salary structures, Diwali gifts, and annual holiday calendar better. They can order gifts in bulk online or from a wholesaler before the festival and get themselves ready for the festival. - A feast on Diwali is one of the most looked forward to meal in the entire year. People organize community fairs, potlucks, house parties and family gatherings as soon as the Diwali dates come in with yearly calendars. Food owners increase their staff in this week and open till midnight to cater to potential clients. Ratri bazaars are set up for people to enjoy the festival till midnights and what not. Hence, if you haven’t paid attention to your yearly calendar, we suggest you take a quick look and see when is Diwali in 2019 and plan your special chores for the week. Last Updated: 10th October 2019 |
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