One of the most important holidays for Hindu is a five day festival called Diwali: The Festival of Lights. Spiritually, it signifies the victory of light over dark, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. The first night, Dhanteras, kicks off the festival with new clothes, houses being cleaned, and laying of traditional floor decorations. The second day is Narak Chaturdasi, and includes henna hand tattoos, prayers, food preparation, and more decorating. On the third day of the festival, Diwali night, people put out candles in windows and doorways to welcome the goddess Lakshimi, who represents wealth and prosperity and is believed to roam the earth on this night. The festival also includes more prayers, fireworks, feasts, and exchanging of gifts. If you’re throwing a Diwali Party, we’ve got some ways to make it great!
Diwali Celebration Ideas
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Diwali: The Festival of Lights
The celebration of Diwali is significant in the Indian culture, in particular those who practice Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. The holiday falls between mid-October and mid-November and lasts for a duration of four days. Here are some GigSalad tips for the holiday that features lights, fireworks, and sweets.
Light your Diyas and Firecrackers
Diwali is known as The Festival of Lights; it celebrates light overcoming darkness, good over evil. This name is derived from the activity of lighting the diyas and shooting off fireworks. Diyas are oil lamps usually made from clay, and they are an essential part to hosting a Diwali celebration. The diyas can be large or small, colorful or plain, etc. They are lit in rows throughout the household. An additional way to decorate and light your house is with colorful, rice paper lanterns.
In continuation with the celebration of light over darkness, fireworks are an essential part of the celebration of Diwali. It wouldn’t be Diwali without the shooting off of firecrackers and fireworks; however, there are usually injuries related to this part of the celebration. Hire a pyrotechnician to make sure the fireworks are shot off properly and safely.
How Do I Decorate for Diwali?
The decorations for Diwali focus on bright colors. You can achieve this by using bright curtains, cushions, pots, urns, wall hangings, etc. These wall hangings can be made from wood, ceramic, or sheets and usually portray a goddess or idol that is important to the Hindu religion. You can also use a florist to get vibrantly colored flowers to decorate the party area with; the lotus flower, in particular, holds significance for the Diwali celebration and in its history. Your attire should be of traditional Indian style, such as, saris for the women and pyjamas for the men.
You can also spice up your party with some cultural entertainment. Indian culture is rich with different forms of dance, music, and entertainment. You could have a belly dancer, Henna artist, or sitar player there to entertain your guests. These performers can liven up your party keep your guests entertained.
The Festival of Sweets
Some of the most common food shared at Diwali is sweets; the holiday has even gotten a second name as the Festival of Sweets. These sweets include gulab jamun, peda, jalebi; if you have no clue what any of these are hire a caterer or even a cake decorator; they may specialize in cakes, but they will love making a new sweet. The main course consists of traditional Indian food, like vegetables, rice, and curries.
Need more help in executing this festival of lights and sweets? Hire an event planner to do the work for you! This will save you time and energy. If you need help finding any type of entertainment or service for your Diwali celebration, find it here on GigSalad.