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Celebrating the Blessings - Diwali / Deepavali /
Row of Lights; Deepavali, Festival of Lights

Diwali is a festival of celebrating the blessings bestowed on us by Goddess Lakshmi and Diwali Puja is a way of commemorating the Goddess. Well Diwali is also celebrated for many other mythological reasons like the coming of Lord Ram to Ayodhya along with Sita and Lakshman. Whatever may be the reason for celebrating Diwali but the Diwali Puja is regarded to be a perfect way of thanking the Gods especially Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha for all the peace, prosperity and blessings showered by them on us and the mention of the Diwali puja can be found in the history of Diwali also.

Observed by Religiously by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. Other Indians celebrate the cultural aspects.
Type Religious, Indian
Significance Celebrate victory over evil, and uplifting of spiritual darkness.
Date New moon day of Kartika, although the celebrations begin two days prior and end two days after that date
2008 date October 28
2009 date October 17
Celebrations Decorating homes with lights, Fireworks, distributing sweets and gifts.
Observances Prayers, Religious rituals

The general things required for Diwali Puja are uncooked rice, paan leaves, kumkum, sweets, camphor, dry fruits and idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. The Puja is performed in the evening when hundreds of diyas are lighted to illuminate the evening. The diwali puja is then followed by presenting each other with ideal Diwali gifts, offering delicious Diwali sweets to the guests, presenting beautiful Diwali cards to the loved ones and greeting each other with nicest Diwali greetings. The process of Diwali Puja is further divided into different pujas in the honor of different Gods like Ganesh Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja and Diwali Aarti.

Dhanteras - Date : 26/10/2008

Dhanvantari Pujan in 2008
Dhanteras is also known as Dhantrayodashi, and takes place two days before Diwali, in honour of Dhanavantri, the physician of the gods and an incarnation of Vishnu.
Celebrations - “Lakshmi-Puja” is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. “Bhajans”-devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and “Naivedya” of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya.
In villages cattle are adorned and worshiped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshiped on this day.
Shubh Time to Perform Lakshmi Puja: (IST)
* 08:07 to 12:22
* 13:47 to 15:12
* 18:06 to 22:51

———————

Kali Chaudash - Date : 27/10/2008
Narka Chaturdashi in 2008
Shubh Time to Perform Hanuman Puja: (IST)
* 06:43 to 08:09
* 09:34 to 10:59
* 13:49 to 19:39
* 22:49 to 00:24

———————

Diwali - Date: 28/10/2008
Deepavali Pujan in 2008

Shubh Time to Perform Chopada Pujan, Sharda Pujan, Lakshmi Puja: (IST)
* 09:34 to 13:49
* 15:14 to 16:38
* 19:39 to 21:14
* 22:49 to 03:34

Lakshmi Puja Rituals

* Firstly lay a new cloth on a raised platform and then place a handful of grains in the center of the cloth and on the top of these grains situate a Kalash or pitcher, which can be made up of gold, silver or copper.
* Then fill the three fourth of kalash with water and lay a betel nut, some flowers, some rice grain and a coin in it. Now arrange five kinds of leaves in the kalash. Cover the kalash with a small plate filled with rice grains.
* A lotus flower needs to be drawn over the rice grains with turmeric powder (Haldi) and then place the idol of goddess Lakshmi on the flower along with some coins.
* Now place the idol of lord Ganesha in the southwest direction of the idol of goddess Lakshmi, in front of the kalash.
* Initiate the Lakshmi Puja by offering haldi, kumkum and flowers to the idols of lord Ganesha and goddess Lakshmi. Next offer these things to the water to be used for the Lakshmi Puja. Through these offerings invoke the river goddess to be a part of this water.
* Invoke the goddess Lakshmi with the help of Vedic chants and mantras addressed to the goddess. If you don’t know the mantras then simply close your eyes, take some water in your hands and think of goddess Lakshmi and finally offer the flowers to Her idol.
* Next keep the idol of goddess Lakshmi in a clean plate and bathe it with water, panchamrit that is a mixture of milk, curd, ghee and sugar and finally with water having some gold ornament or even a pearl. Wipe the idol clean and lay it back on the kalash.
* Make the offerings of sandal paste, saffron paste, perfume, kumkum, haldi and gulal to the idol. Now make an offer of garland of cotton beads to both the idols of lord Ganesha and goddess Lakshmi.
* Offer the flowers, like the marigold flowers or leaves of bel, which is a wood apple tree. Also make an offering of some sweets, coconut and fruits. Remember to light an incense stick and dhoop in front of the two idols.
* Now pour some puffed rice, batasha, cumin seeds and coriander seeds in front of the idols.
* Complete the Lakshmi Puja by performing an aarti for goddess Lakshmi and lord Ganesha. Take care to ring a small bell while singing the aarti and it should not be accompanied with claps as is the practice adopted by Hindus while performing the aartis for other Gods.

———————

Annakut New Year Day in Gujarat - Date : 29/10/2008
Nutan Varsh - Annakut (New Year’s Day)
‘Nutan Varsh’ literally means ‘dawn of the New Year’, also called ‘Bestu Varsh’. The Hindu New Year’s day, of the Vikram era is Kartik sud 1.
Shubh Time: (IST)
* 06:44 to 09:34
* 11:00 to 12:24
* 15:13 to 18:03
* 19:38 to 00:24

———————

Bhai Dooj Festival - Date : 30/10/2008
Bhai Bij or Yam Dvitiya
The fifth and last day of Diwali is known as ‘Bhai dooj’ or ‘Bhai Bij’. The name itself denotes the day of the festival i.e it falls on Dooj, the second day after the new moon. This day Yamaraj went to his sister’s house who put an auspicious mark on his forehead for his welfare.

———————

Labh Pancham - Date : 03/11/2008 (November)
Kartik Sud 5 is the final festival of the Diwali period and is known as Labh Pancham. Labh means benefit and Pancham means fifth. Usually, businesses shut down for the Diwali period and this day is considered to be auspicious for commencing one’s businesses again.

In the days from Diwali to Labh Pancham, it is traditional for people to visit friends and relatives, and to renew good relations amongst them all. Sweets and other gifts are exchanged as a symbolic gesture of sweetening one’s relations with one another.
Shubh Time: (IST)
* 06:47 to 08:11
* 09:35 to 11:00
* 13:48 to 19:36
* 22:48 to 00:24

———————

Online Diwali Resources

Diwali - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Deepavali, or Diwali, (Markiscarali) is a major Indian festival, and a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali

Diwali - Diwali 2008,Diwali Gifts India,Diwali Festival
diwali festival 2008, diwali india, diwali festival, diwali in india, diwali 2008, deepavali in india, diwali festival india, festival of lights, …
www.diwalifestival.org/

Diwali Date,Diwali Day,When is Diwali 2008,Diwali Calendar,Diwali …
Find out when is Diwali 2008 in this exclusive Diwali Calendar. The detailed calendar page clearly points out Diwali Date 2008. Also know about Diwali Date …
www.diwalifestival.org/diwali-calendar.html

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Diwali Date, Diwali Puja Time in USA, Canada - Diwali - Zimbio
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