6 Mythological Tales Associated With Diwali

[{"selector":"#anim-6972126b-be47-442a-b625-230c4e80389a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":650,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3e8c278-8a19-4974-b751-c277a5371f1d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -185.20925%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":650,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Producer: Priyanka Das Editor: Mohit Bisht

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is a festival celebrated by millions of people across the world.

[{"selector":"#anim-2289da2d-8cbc-4240-8639-a50472c11374","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e1356cb3-9eb7-4c0e-929f-3f5c434d7229","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.60668%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-110fbe8b-e82a-4f4f-af48-465ed4a9cac4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

This year, Diwali will be celebrated on November 12.

[{"selector":"#anim-739b5645-1a67-421f-9766-91eb03e76010","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3e58208d-a254-4cf4-8323-1719afe28e05","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.60668%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-333ea247-096b-47e1-9f6e-60ff34050607","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

It is a festival of lights, and its significance is rooted in several mythological stories.

[{"selector":"#anim-73101281-a726-462e-8edb-9b08b7a87f1e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5774b6b0-efa7-4f01-995e-f130f8a44d61","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.60668%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d23cc915-cb75-4e34-bf69-5418d7991e15","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

It’s believed that on Diwali, Lord Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya after their 14-year exile. To welcome them and to celebrate their return, people of Ayodhya lit lamps, or diyas.

[{"selector":"#anim-39d7e2db-e149-49f3-bdbc-522a3d2774fd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-adcf24a5-e167-4dd6-9f34-68649585f327","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.60668%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4a945f28-0aec-4cb1-bc7d-7f2a5a0a2c15","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-bfe42f41-82ee-4df6-8b44-e67b583a0354","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7518834e-1a4c-4055-a032-8cac80eae3c4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.60668%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a3af5a5-7258-4a7e-beb5-06dfa1b9c38d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] According to another popular Hindu legend, Lord Krishna killed demon king Narakasura on Naraka Chaturdashi, which falls a day before Diwali. To commemorate this triumph, people lit fireworks and colourful lamps a day after.

[{"selector":"#anim-9befad0f-7ca4-4dd3-97af-677c92299f55","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff4e417c-3789-4d6f-ba5e-8679a4477b35","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.60668%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a7d2ff03-238b-4a71-b49a-b794736a8137","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Diwali is also a time to worship Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. It is believed that she visits homes on Diwali night and blesses those who keep their homes clean and well-lit.

[{"selector":"#anim-f4259e01-7630-4be9-8087-2f733e75b804","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-27c95fd4-06ce-47b8-80a6-5a78c21d10d8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.60668%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd834181-074d-4802-a0f7-644272afe4dd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In some parts of India, Diwali is linked to the story of demon king Bali and Lord Vishnu, when the latter granted a boon to Bali to return to earth one day every year after taking the entire earth.

[{"selector":"#anim-d39132e5-10cc-447c-b314-15bf34a709b4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b4748361-ece3-4d6c-b520-ac20d805df45","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.60668%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9063f1fb-312f-47e6-8abd-1840d965c0f8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In some regions, the fourth day of Diwali is observed as Yama Dwitiya or Bhai Dooj. According to this legend, Yama, the god of death, visited his sister Yamuna on this day.

[{"selector":"#anim-a9e7bf24-2971-4015-90ad-c81c11ea769b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba63ab10-09bf-42bb-a6d3-1828cac03d99","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.60668%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5180ab69-676f-4c0b-b807-cd4bde85aea7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A section of Buddhists, especially the Newar Buddhists in Nepal, observe Diwali as a special occasion as it’s believed that Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism on Deepavali Amavasya.

[{"selector":"#anim-d57d387b-1ed7-4af6-b794-95053fbf0fae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-344095b1-ec12-47eb-84ee-61d0299c7530","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 93.49647%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":350,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df55f1c2-fb33-420a-b8c1-8802e47a6dbd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d779cd7-95ac-4f71-8e9f-ea8c59968f75","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(109.51009%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]