Search

Diwali is derived from the word Deepavali, which means "series of lights", and has had wide repercussions in the Indian world and continues to do so. As Diwali is determined according to the lunar calendar, it has different celebration days. It is usually celebrated at the end of October and the beginning of November in the Gregorian calendar. There are different mythological accounts of the origin of Diwali. The most prominent origin narrative, as a Hindu festival in the first stage, is the one centered on Rama-Sita-Ravana. This narrative was later reinterpreted by Sikhs in line with their own traditions, and this is how the understanding of Diwali emerged in Sikhism. In the Rama-Sita-Ravana narrative, which represents the central narrative of the origin of Diwali in Hinduism, Rama's wife Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, King of Lanka, then Rama wages war on Ravana and saves his wife by defeating him. Afterwards, a magnificent welcome is organized for the couple who come to Ayodhya, and with their return, abundance and fertility occur in the city. Hindus adopted this narrative to their daily lives and believed that Goddess Lakshmi, who is a prominent figure in Diwali, also provides abundance and fertility today. Diwali celebrations last for five days. On the first day, when a different God/Goddess stands out on each day, houses are cleaned, and decorations are made. On the second day, preparations continue. On the third day, the most important day of Diwali, Lakshmi Puja, is worshiped. The third day is also important financially because it is the day when the account books of the previous year are closed, and the new account books are opened. Also, on the third day, Ganesha is in the foreground, as well as Lakshmi. As a matter of fact, Hindus believe that without Ganesha, worshiping Lakshmi would be meaningless. The fourth and fifth days of Diwali are the time when family relationships are developed. Because on the fourth day, while the parents are holding a feast and presenting gifts to their newly married children; On the fifth day, sisters and brothers are given gifts and treats in return. Although Diwali is a Hindu festival at first glance, it also has an important place in other Indian religions. Diwali celebrations in Jainism are partly calm due to the principle of Ahimsa. The Jains trace the origin of this festival back to the 6th century BC. Thus, aiming to show that Diwali already exists within the tradition, the Jains celebrate this festival in memory of Mahavira's attainment of Moksha. As with Hindus, Jains light oil lamps, open new financial books, and go to temples at this festival. Another religious tradition in which Diwali is celebrated with enthusiasm is Sikhism. Although there are different narratives about the origin of Diwali within Sikhism, the Guru Har Gobindcentered narrative is generally accepted. He is taken into captivity by Emperor Jahangir. Freed from captivity in 1619, Har Gobind moved to Amritsar with the princes beside him. The people of Amritsar celebrate the guru's liberation and entry into the city with great enthusiasm. Another significance of this festival for Sikhism is the renewal of the financial books, as in Hinduism and Jainism.Diwali is a festival also celebrated by Buddhists. Unlike other religious traditions, different mythological narratives are not encountered in Buddhism for this festival. The importance of this festival for Buddhists is based on King Ashoka's adoption of Buddhism on Diwali day in the 3rd century BC. It is seen that Christians and Muslims of Indian origin also participated in Diwali. For these two religious traditions, Diwali has a cultural meaning. Diwali celebrations are witnessed in different countries besides India. For Indian families, Diwali has an important function in the context of transmitting their traditions. However, it has been a controversial issue whether Diwali can be considered a public holiday in diaspora countries. Although this issue was sometimes brought to the official authorities, it did not receive a positive response in most cases. During the COVID-19 process, Diwali celebrations have lagged behind their previous splendor. The COVID-19 epidemic, which affects Indian religions as well as other religions, has caused the Diwali celebrations to shift in different dimensions. The vast majority of street celebrations were suspended, celebrations held in great temples were broadcast online, and visits were not permitted. In this study, first of all, different narratives regarding the origin of Diwali from the Hindus’ perspective were revealed, and then the five-day celebrations and its reflection on the society were described in detail. The meaning and importance of Diwali for different religious groups have been discussed comparatively. With the gains that the Diwali celebrations outside India have provided to people of Indian origin and the possible situations to be encountered in the future, information on how the Diwali celebrations took place during the COVID-19 epidemic process has been discussed in light of current data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]