Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most significant festivals in Hinduism and is celebrated by millions of people around the world. The festival usually lasts for five days and is marked by various activities, rituals, and festivities.

Diwali is known as the festival of lights all around the world. It is one of the festivals that is celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm.

As per Hindu events, Ramayan, Diwali marks the return of Lord Ram, Devi Sita, Lakshman, and Lord Hanuman to Ayodhya after spending 14 years in exile, depicted in the the great epic – Ramayan. As Lord Ram returns after defeating evil Raavan, everyone in Ayodhya celebrates Diwali as good triumphs over evil.

Apart from this fact, it is believed that Diwali marks the birth of Goddess Lakshmi during Samundra-Manthan. That is why Goddess Lakshmi has been given a lot of significance during the festival of Diwali.

According to the Puranic narrative, the Devas (celestial beings) and the Asuras (demons) joined forces to churn the ocean of milk to obtain the elixir of immortality known as Amrita. During the churning process, various divine and valuable entities emerged from the ocean.

Why is Maa Laxmi Worshipped On Diwali?

Many people do not know the story behind worshipping Maa Laxmi and Ganesh Ji on Diwali and today we will be enlightening you with it. In the book Kartika-Mahatmya, there is a story of a poor Brahman who sought advice from a priest. The priest asked the Brahman to worship Maa Laxmi so that she can bestow wealth to him. As Vishnu Ji is sleeping right now, Laxmi Ji will shower mercy on the Brahman and will give him the wealth he needs. Vishnu Ji sleeps from the 11th lunar day of Asadh to the 11th lunar day of Kartikey, so Diwali is the most auspicious eve that comes in between. As we currently reside in Kaliyug, which is known as Rajo Guna, people want prosperity, wealth, and luxury in life. It was also said that instead of directly reaching out to Laxmi Ji, worship Vishnu Ji to please her. But as Vishnu Ji is asleep and Shastra recommends pleasing Maa Laxmi directly, people worship them during Diwali.

Why Is Ganesh Ji Worshipped Alongside Maa Laxmi On Diwali?

Maa Laxmi was talking to Vishnu Ji, elaborating on how she can make anyone wealthy and prosper with her powers. She was being proud of her accomplishments but, it sounded more like an egoistic person talking to Vishnu Ji. So, he decided to reduce her ego and therefore, he said that women without experiencing motherhood are incomplete, and that disheartened her. She went to Maa Parvati and asked her to give any of the sons (Kartikey and Ganesh) to her, grace her with motherhood and complete her.  Parvati agreed for Ganesh, and therefore, Laxmi wanted to adopt him. Maa Parvati was not okay with this as Maa Laxmi does not have a fixed place, and she might not be able to take care of Ganesh but, as Maa Laxmi promised Maa Parvati that if someone will not worship Ganesh, she will not shower her mercy on them. Every time Ganesh would be prayed alongside her and she would take good care of Ganesh no matter what. This assured Maa Parvati, and she let Ganesh go with Maa Laxmi. Hence, every time we talk about Maa Laxmi, we take the name of Ganesh Ji as well. This is one reason why we place Laxmi Ji and Ganesh Ji murti on Diwali.

Another reason states that wealth without wisdom is just like chocolate without teeth. You would never know what to do with the wealth you receive, and to make the right decision, you need knowledge and that knowledge comes by worshipping Ganesh Ji. Before making any investment or proceeding with new work, we worship Lord Ganesh, because of the wisdom and intelligence he has. He is the God of success and prosperity and with wealth and luxury, we need his intelligence and wisdom. Hence, to remove obstacles, to create a balance, Lord Ganesh and Maa Laxmi are worshipped together.

Diwali Legends and Stories

Diwali, the festival of lights, is associated with several legends and stories from Hindu mythology and history. These stories hold great significance and are often retold during Diwali celebrations.

Here are some of the most well-known Diwali legends and stories:

1. The Return of Lord Ram: The most famous Diwali story is the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after his 14-year exile, during which he defeated the demon king Ravan. To welcome him back, the people of Ayodhya lit lamps to dispel the darkness, and the city was illuminated with diyas, thus symbolizing the victory of good over evil and the triumph of light over darkness. This story is described in the epic Ramayan.
2. The Killing of Narakasura: In another legend, Lord Krushna is said to have defeated and killed the demon king Narakasura. It is believed that Narakasura was a tyrant who kidnapped and oppressed many women. After his defeat, Lord Krushna liberated the imprisoned women and brought light and happiness to the land. This victory is celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali.
3. The Legend of King Bali: In some parts of India, Diwali is associated with the story of King Bali. According to this legend, King Bali was a noble and generous demon king. Lord Vishnu, in the form of Vaman (a dwarf Brahmin), came to King Bali’s kingdom to ask for three steps of land. King Bali agreed, and Vamana covered the entire earth and heavens with his three steps. In return for Bali’s generosity, Lord Vishnu granted him a boon that he could return to rule his kingdom once a year, which is celebrated as Bali Pratipada or Govardhan Puja.
4. The Story of Samudra Manthan (Churning of the Ocean): Diwali is also associated with the Hindu epic, the Mahabharat. It is believed that during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan) by the gods and demons, various treasures, including the elixir of immortality (amrita), emerged. Diwali is considered the day when Lord Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods, emerged with the pot of amrita, signifying health and prosperity.
5. The Story of Dharmaraja Yudhishthir: In the Mahabharat, Yudhishthir, the eldest of the Pandava brothers, is said to have returned to his kingdom and ruled justly after 13 years of exile and one year of incognito life. His return to the throne and the restoration of dharma (righteousness) are celebrated during Diwali.

These are some of the prominent legends and stories associated with Diwali. Each of these stories carries its own moral and spiritual significance, emphasizing the triumph of good over evil, the victory of light over darkness, and the importance of righteousness and dharma. During Diwali, people often recite or listen to these stories as a way to connect with the festival’s deeper meanings.

At its core, Diwali is celebrated with lighting lamps (diyas) at home. There are also special food items (sweets and savories) that are associated with Diwali. As with any Hindu festival, food items are seasonal and made with ingredients that boost immunity, which is especially needed as the weather turns from warm summer/fall days to colder winter. A festival is incomplete with celebrating it with family and friends. And who can forget the traditional clothes that add the color and zest to the atmosphere!

Diwali begins from Ekadashi, and Bhai Dooj marks the end of it.

Diwali is a 7-day festival. Each day of Diwali festival is special and is celebrated in its own special way. Here it is – Diwali day-by-day:

Day 1:

• The beginning. Today marks the official start of Diwali festival!
• Ekadashi
• Agiyarash

Day 2:

• Vakbarash (often mistaken as Vagbarash or Vaghbarash)
• Govatsa Dwadashi
• Vasu Baras

Vak = Vaani = Speech. Saraswati is the goddess that we worship to make our speech pure, pleasant and true. Here are the prayers that we offer on this day –

• Saraswati Stotra in Gujarati 
• Saraswati Stotra in Sanskrit
• Saraswati Vandana

Day 3:

• Dhantrayodashi
• Dhanteras
• Dhanvantari Trayodashi
• Trayodashi
• Lakshmi Puja

This is the day we worshi goddess Lakshmi for the wealth. Wealth is not limited to money or material wealth. It does include wealth of material happiness, but it also includes wealth of health and wealth of peace across all aspects. Here are the prayers we offer –

• Siddhi Lakshmi Stotra
• Shree Suktam
• Lakshami Aarti

Day 4:

• Chaudash / Chaturdashi
• Yama Deepam
• Kali Chaudas
• Hanuman Pooja
• Narak Chaturdashi
• Kali Puja

Different parts of India celebrate this day differently. But one god that we all worship on this day is Lord Hanuman. Here are the prayers –

• Hanuman Chalisa (English, Hindi, Gujarati)
• Sankatmochan Hanumanashtak

Day 5:

This is the Diwali day. Often celebrated as the last day of the year. It is the day to “close the books” – physically and metaphorically. It is a day to reflect back on the year.

• Chopda Pujan (Closing the books)
• Govardhan Puja
• Diwali Snan
• Diwali Devpuja
• Sharda Puja
• Annakut
• Bali Pratipada
• Dyuta Krida

During closing the books, we often perform these prayers –

• Siddhi Lakshmi Stotra
• Shree Suktam

Day 6:

• Gujarati New Year

Day 7:

• Bhai Dooj
• Bhau Beej
• Yama Dwitiya

दिवाली की कथा

पौराणिक कथा के अनुसार एक साहुकार था, उसकी बेटी प्रतिदिन पीपल के पेड़ पर जल चढ़ाने जाती थी। पीपल पर लक्ष्मी जी का वास माना जाता है। एक दिन लक्ष्मी जी ने प्रकट हो कर साहुकार की बेटी से कहा तुम मेरी सहेली बन जाओ। उसने पिता से पूछकर उत्तर देने को कहा। पिता जी के हां कहने पर साहूकार की बेटी ने लक्ष्मी जी को सहेली बनाना स्वीकार कर लिया।

एक दिन मां लक्ष्मी साहुकार की बेटी को अपने घर ले गई। लक्ष्मी जी दे उसे ओढ़ने के लिए दुशाला दिया तथा सोने की बनी चौकी पर बैठाया। सोने की थाली में उसे अनेक प्रकार के व्यंजन खिलाए। जब साहुकार की बेटी अपने घर को लौटने लगी तो लक्ष्मी जी ने कहा कि “तुम मुझे अपने घर कब बुला रही हो”।

साहूकार की पुत्री ने पहले तो आनाकानी की परन्तु फिर तैयार हो गई । लेकिन घर जाकर वह उदास होकर पिता से बोली की “लक्ष्मी जी ने तो मुझे इतना दिया और बहुत सुन्दर भोजन कराया। मैं उनकी किस तरह सेवा करूं, हमारे घर में तो उसकी अपेक्षा कुछ भी नहीं हैं।” तब साहूकार ने कहा जो अपने से बनेगा वही खातिर करेंगे।

तुम जा कर गोबर मिट्टी से चौका लगाकर सफाई कर दो। चौमुखा दीपक जला कर लक्ष्मी जी का नाम लेकर बैठ जाना । तभी एक चील किसी रानी का नौलखा हार उसके पास गिरा गई। साहूकार की बेटी ने उस हार को बेचकर सोने की चौकी, सोने का थाल, शाल-दुशाला और अनेक प्रकार के भोजन की तैयारी कर ली। थोड़ी देर बाद मां लक्ष्मी उसके घर आईं। साहूकार की बेटी ने बैठने के लिए उन्हें सोने की चौकी दी।

लक्ष्मी जी ने चौकी पर बैठने से मना किया और कहा कि इस पर तो राजा रानी बैठते हैं। तब साहूकार की बेटी ने लक्ष्मी जी को जबरदस्ती चौकी पर बैठा दिया। लक्ष्मी जी की उसने बहुत खातिर की इससे मां लक्ष्मी बहुत प्रसन्न हुई। मां लक्ष्मी के आशीर्वाद से साहूकार बहुत अमीर बन गया। हे मां लक्ष्मी ! जैसे तुमने साहूकार की बेटी की चौकी स्वीकार की और बहुत सा धन दिया वैसे ही सबको धन-धान्य प्रदान करों ।