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Diwali2029 Countdown
Monday, November 5, 2029
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About Diwali
Diwali, also called Deepavali, is the Hindu festival of lights, celebrated over about five days each autumn. The main night falls on the new moon of the Hindu lunar month of Kartika, which places the festival between late October and early November on the Gregorian calendar, with the exact date shifting from year to year. Homes, temples, and streets glow with clay lamps called diyas, candles, and fireworks, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
Diwali is observed by Hindus, and also by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists, each with their own stories and meanings. Many Hindus commemorate the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, while others honor Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, or celebrate Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura. The festival spread with the Indian diaspora and is now a public holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Fiji, and several other countries.
Celebration is centered on home and family. People clean and decorate their houses, draw colorful rangoli designs at entrances, worship Lakshmi, share sweets and gifts, and enjoy fireworks displays. Businesses often open new account books for an auspicious start to the financial year. Communities hold fairs, temple ceremonies, and cultural performances, and cities with large South Asian populations now host large public Diwali events.
History of Diwali
Diwali's roots reach back more than two thousand years to the Indian subcontinent, where early references to autumn lamps appear in Sanskrit texts. Over the centuries the festival absorbed regional legends: Rama's joyful return to Ayodhya in northern traditions, Krishna's defeat of Narakasura in the south, and the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment for Sikhs. Lamp lighting likely also honored Lakshmi at harvest time, asking for prosperity in the year ahead. Traders carried the festival along trade routes through Southeast Asia, and migrants carried it worldwide. Today Diwali is recognized far beyond South Asia, with official celebrations in cities from London to New York and a public holiday in a growing list of countries.
2029 vs 2030 dates
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is Diwali?
- Diwali falls between late October and early November each year, on the new moon of the Hindu month of Kartika, so the exact Gregorian date changes annually.
- Is Diwali a public holiday?
- Yes, it is a public holiday in India and several other countries, including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Fiji, and it is an official school holiday in some places such as New York City.
- How do people celebrate Diwali?
- People light diyas and fireworks, decorate their homes with rangoli, worship Lakshmi, share sweets and gifts, and gather with family across five festive days.
- Why is Diwali called the festival of lights?
- Rows of lamps and lights symbolize the victory of light over darkness and good over evil, recalling legends such as Rama's return to Ayodhya.